Soil Moisture Analyses at ECMWF: Evaluation Using Global Ground-Based In Situ Observations

Abstract In situ soil moisture from 117 stations across the world and under different biome and climate conditions are used to evaluate two soil moisture products from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)—namely, the operational analysis and the interim reanalysis ECMWF Re-Analysis Interim (ERA-Interim). ECMWF’s operational Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) is based on a continuous effort to improve the analysis and modeling systems, resulting in frequent updates (a few times a year). The ERA-Interim reanalysis is produced by a fixed IFS version (for the main component of the atmospheric model and data assimilation). It has the advantage of being consistent over the whole period from 1979 onward and by design, reanalysis products are more suitable than their operational counterparts for use in climate studies. Although the two analyses show good skills in capturing surface soil moisture variability, they tend to overestimate soil moisture, particularly for dry land. Over the 2008–10 period, averaged statistical scores (correlation, bias, and root-mean-square difference) are 0.70, −0.081 m3 m−3, and 0.113 m3 m−3 for the operational product and 0.63, −0.079 m3 m−3, and 0.121 m3 m−3 for ERA-Interim. Compared to the scheme used in ERA-Interim, the current model used in the IFS has an improved match to soil moisture that is attributed to recent changes in the IFS. Indeed, major upgrades recently implemented in the operational land surface analysis and modeling system improve the surface and the root-zone soil moisture analyses.