“Austrian Reanalysis with AROME” (ARA) comprises a high-resolution ensemble of reanalysis data for Austria. Reanalysis combines model data with observations from historical periods to create a consistent best estimate for essential climate variables. This reanalysis is primarily based on dynamical downscaling of the ECMWF ERA5 dataset using GeoSphere Austria’s non-hydrostatic model “Application of Research to Operations at Mesoscale” (AROME) to a 2.5 km equidistant grid centred over the Austrian Alps. The three-dimensional variational assimilation (3DVAR) mechanism of the AROME model, in combination with the “Convection-permitting Limited Area Ensemble Forecasting” system (C-LAEF) allows for assimilation of observational data from various sources such as satellites, radiosondes, aircrafts, wind profilers etc., as well as the creation of a multi-member ensemble with consistent atmospheric fields. Here over 50 2D- and 10 3D-parameters, are supplied on different altitude-, pressure- and model-levels from a total of 11 ensemble members, providing vast potential for application, reaching from evaluation and calibration of weather- and climate-models to assessment of expected climate risks.

The development and production of ARA were funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) within the ASAP-17 programme through the project “High resolution Austrian Re-analysis ensemble with AROME (ARA)”, coordinated by GeoSphere Austria in collaboration with University of Graz.

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