Overview
The MeteoFranceArome importer facilitates access to forecast data generated by the Meteo-France, particularly from the AROME model. The data is retrieved via the Meteo-France API portal.
The data is provided under license:
The import feature is available since May 2024, from Delft-FEWS version 2024.01 onwards.
About Meteo-France API portal
Meteo-France API portal provides access to a number of models. A catalogue of models available and their descriptions can be found at METEO FRANCE – L’API AROME. To access different models, separate subscriptions is needed. BY default, a free subscription of 50 requests/minute is provided.
AROME model
The AROME model provided by the API portal, is the French operational limited-area, fine-scale atmospheric forecasting model. It provides two types resolution and provides forecasts for various meteorological parameters at various levels. The forecasts have an hourly temporal resolution with a lead-time of 48 hours. The forecasts are tailored to specific regions covering the entire France and part of its neighboring countries. The download format includes GRIB V2, GEOTIFF or image PNG. This importer imports the GRIB V2 format.
Documentation of the AROME model, including example query can be found (page in french): Données Publiques de Météo-France - Données de modèle AROME (meteofrance.fr)
The AROME model issues forecasts at a 3 hours interval (Timezone GMT). The forecasts availability can be found in the documentation here: 250_Meteo-France_2019_doc_arome_pour-portail-_250_2019-09-03.pdf
Authentication and APPLICATION_ID
The Meteo-France API portal allows access by a user name and password. The credentials are linked to an APPLICATION_ID, which is needed to generate access tokens by the importer.
After login Meteo-France API portal, click on the user account in connected mode (top right) > 'My API' > Choose an API > Click 'Generate Token'. The APPLICATION_ID can be found in the cURL command at the bottom of the page.
curl -k -X POST https://portail-api.meteofrance.fr/token -d "grant_type=client_credentials" -H "Authorization: Basic APPLICATION_ID"Configuration (Example)
A complete import module configuration consists of an ID Mapping file and a Import Module Instance file. To convert the rainfall in a proper unit (from 1 kg_m2 per hour to mm/hr for example) it is also required to configure a Unit Conversion file.
ModuleConfigFiles
The following example of an Import Module Instance will import the AROME model with 0.1 resolution for France at hourly timestep over the complete forecast period from 0 to 24 hour leadtime.
<timeSeriesImportRun xmlns="http://www.wldelft.nl/fews" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.wldelft.nl/fews http://fews.wldelft.nl/schemas/version1.0/timeSeriesImportRun.xsd"> <import> <general> <importType>MeteoFranceArome</importType> <serverUrl>https://public-api.meteofrance.fr/public/arome/1.0/wcs/MF-NWP-HIGHRES-AROME-001-FRANCE-WCS</serverUrl> <relativeViewPeriod unit="hour" start="0" end="48"/> <idMapId>IdImportAROME</idMapId> <unitConversionsId>ImportUnitConversions</unitConversionsId> </general> <properties> <string key="tokenUrl" value="https://portail-api.meteofrance.fr/token"></string> <string key="applicationId" value=$APPLICATION_ID$></string> <string key="version" value="2.0.1"></string> <!--Below is needed only for some parameters, e.g. TOTAL_PRECIPITATION__GROUND_OR_WATER_SURFACE--> <string key="coverageIdSuffix" value="_PT1H"></string> <!--Below is needed only for some parameters, e.g. TEMPERATURE__SPECIFIC_HEIGHT_LEVEL_ABOVE_GROUND--> <!--<string key="height" value="2"></string>--> </properties> <timeSeriesSet> <moduleInstanceId>Import_AROME</moduleInstanceId> <valueType>grid</valueType> <parameterId>P.nwp</parameterId> <locationId>AROME</locationId> <timeSeriesType>external forecasting</timeSeriesType> <timeStep unit="hour" multiplier="1"/> <readWriteMode>read complete forecast</readWriteMode> <expiryTime unit="day" multiplier="7"/> </timeSeriesSet> <externUnit parameterId="P.nwp" unit="kg_m2"/> </import> </timeSeriesImportRun>
About server url
The serverUrl is used to select the product to import. The server url used in the example indicates the products is with 0.1 degree resolution covering the France region. It is also possible to different grids and resolution by using a different url. See the documentation for more information.
About optional properties
IdMapFiles
Defines the ID mapping of the parameters.
<idMap xmlns="http://www.wldelft.nl/fews" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.wldelft.nl/fews http://fews.wldelft.nl/schemas/version1.0/idMap.xsd" version="1.1"> <parameter internal="P.nwp" external="TOTAL_PRECIPITATION__GROUND_OR_WATER_SURFACE"/> <!--<parameter internal="T.nwp" external="TEMPERATURE__SPECIFIC_HEIGHT_LEVEL_ABOVE_GROUND"/>--> </idMap>
UnitConversionFile
Defines the conversion of the units that should be applied.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <unitConversions ...................> <unitConversion> <inputUnitType>kg_m2</inputUnitType> <outputUnitType>mm</outputUnitType> <multiplier>1</multiplier> <incrementer>0</incrementer> </unitConversion> ........ ........ </unitConversions>
Grid definition
Defines the definition of the AROME grid.
About grid definition for a subset
To get an specific region, one can use the example query available in the documentation page. See example below. Note that the subset of lat and long uses coordinates that indicates the center of the cell.
The below definition defines the entire model domain of AROME.
<grids xmlns="http://www.wldelft.nl/fews" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.wldelft.nl/fews http://fews.wldelft.nl/schemas/version1.0/grids.xsd">
<regular locationId="AROME">
<rows>1791</rows>
<columns>2801</columns>
<geoDatum>WGS 1984</geoDatum>
<firstCellCenter>
<x>-12</x>
<y>55.4</y>
<z>0.0</z>
</firstCellCenter>
<xCellSize>0.01</xCellSize>
<yCellSize>0.01</yCellSize>
</regular>
</grids>
