OBSERVATIONS – OPERA
OPERA is the Radar Programme of EUMETNET
The objectives of OPERA :
The key achievements of OPERA:
OPERA has been coordinating radar data exchange in Europe for 20 years, and its data centres have been operational for almost a decade.
In the previous programme phase (2019-2023) the data centre (ODYSSEY) operated since 2011, was gradually replaced with three new production lines. The three production lines, CUMULUS/STRATUS, NIMBUS, and CIRRUS, are responsible for gathering the data, and producing European-wide radar products for EUMETNET members as well as third-party users.
The organisation
The current phase of OPERA covers the years 2024-2028.
The Coordinating Member is the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) and the Project Manager is Dr. Annakaisa von Lerber.
For questions about OPERA data, please contact support.opera@eumetnet.eu
More information
The central tasks of OPERA are:
To operate and develop a data hub, which collects radar volume data, distributes quality flagged volume data to modelers and other radar data users, and produces quality controlled radar products;
To develop the OPERA Data Information Model (ODIM)
To enhance expertise in the field of weather radar (hardware, software, products, quality, network design etc.) within EUMETNET and the whole weather radar community;
To provide support to its members in environmental and societal issues related to weather radars, such as radar siting, radio-frequency interference and the impact of wind farms;
To offer a forum for exchange of experience and for capacity building in the field of weather radars within EUMETNET;
To inform the wider operational and research community of its activities.
The main requirements for OPERA are:
Running a data hub and gradually replacing it with new production lines
Using the data hub to make data available for members and 3rd parties
Maintaining a database of metadata of members‘ radars
Pursuing a study programme addressing new technologies , quality information, current and developing algorithms
Defining and promoting common data exchange formats;
Distributing information to stakeholders and gaining public visibility with the EUMETNET external website
Cooperation with WMO in the context of WIGOS for global exchange of radar knowledge
During the previous OPERA phase (2019-2023), the data centre (ODYSSEY) was gradually replaced with three new production lines (CUMULUS/STRATUS CIRRUS, and NIMBUS).
Figure: The schematic structure of the new OPERA data production.
The three new production lines are:
• CUMULUS/STRATUS, a real-time data hub providing the incoming data back to members in approximately real-time for their own processing (e.g. regional composites or NWP assimilation) and to the other two production lines (CIRRUS and NIMBUS). The production line has been operational since Q2/2021.
• CIRRUS producing 5-minute instantaneous maximum reflectivity composite (dBZ) for current weather, severe weather alerts and aviation needs. It is replacing the ODYSSEY maximum reflectivity composite with improved spatial (now with 1 km gridding) and temporal resolution (from 15 – minutes to 5- minutes). The production has been operational in Q1/2024. Documentation regarding the CIRRUS maximum reflectivity product and its differences compared to the ODYSSEY maximum reflectivity product can be found here.
– OPERA_Max Reflectivity_Product Sheet_Ed-2.0.pdf
– OPERA5_Report_Cirrus-vs-Odyssey_Ed-2.0.pdf
• NIMBUS producing centrally the quality-controlled products; instantaneous rain rate (mm/h) and 1 – hour accumulation (mm) composites, and wind profiles (TBD Q4/2024), and additionally the quality-controlled volume data for NWP assimilation. It is replacing the ODYSSEY production for the above-mentioned products. The NIMBUS production has been operational in Q2/2024. Documentation regarding the NIMBUS composites and their differences compared to the corresponding ODYSSEY can be found here:
– NIMBUS_datasheet_composites_1.0_13062024.pdf
– NIMBUS_composite_vs_ODYSSEY_1.0_19062024.pdf
OPERA support can be reached through email to support.opera@eumetnet.eu. Responses from the service desk are provided on a best-effort basis.
Access to data
The members of OPERA and EUMETNET may use the composites for their official duties without a separate license. The Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) modelers obtain the quality-controlled volume data directly from NIMBUS production line.
The OPERA products are also available under license to 3rd parties:
· For national weather services not participating in OPERA which want to use the products to support their public weather service, contact info@eumetnet.eu
· For a research and education licence, contact info@eumetnet.eu.
· For a license to exploit the products commercially, contact one of the EUMETNET members contact points(https://www.ecomet.eu/contact/members) or send a mail eumetdaps_secretariat@eumetnet.eu.
The OPERA community has developed several software packages to enable exchange of radar data from different sources and manufacturers. User support is provided to the OPERA group and other users of the OPERA BUFR software, including commercial radar software suppliers.
– OPERA BUFR software encodes and decodes radar data in BUFR format. The encoder includes a pre-processor preparing an ASCII file as input to the final processor which then writes the binary data file. BUFR table maintenance includes defining new descriptors, sequences, and tables for use with OPERA BUFR software, where relevant and applicable.
– Compositing software Within the first OPERA Programme, compositing software has been developed that is available to all OPERA members. It is portable software that runs on all commonly available computer platforms.
Two software packages have been developed for transmitting data to the operational data hub:
– BUFR exchange software in the BUFR exchange software version 3.2.
– HDF5 exchange software
Software and tables to download
links to zip files
Software documentation
Documentation of the software, in PDF files
During the years, the OPERA community has produced an impressive library of documents, recommendations and definitions. Many of the early technical documents have now more of historical value.
One of OPERAs tasks is to provide support to its members in environmental and societal issues related to weather radars, such as radar siting, radio-frequency interference and the impact of wind farms. Some of the publications are related to this task.
Selected publications of OPERA 5 (2019-2023)
• Best practices for calibration and monitoring 25 October 2020
• ODIM version 2.4 (1 July 2021 – for old versions, see software documentation in section above)
• OPERA-4: On the coexistence of weather radars and wind turbines, 25 February, 2022
Selected publications of OPERA 4 (2013-2018)
Selected Deliverables of OPERA 3 (2007-2012)
