Abstract
A presentation of the First GARP Global Experiment (FGGE) Research Programme at the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is given. An excellent data coverage in areas previously practically void of observations has made it possible to analyze synoptic features in the tropics and the Southern Hemisphere in great detail. The studies strongly suggest that the winter circulation in the Southern Hemisphere is more intense than previously assumed. The tropical circulation shows several examples of episodes of very active interhemispheric exchange. The large-scale circulation in the tropics is dominated by a giant ascending cell over the western Pacific having a particularly strong component in the equatorial plane. This circulation is especially pronounced during the Northern Hemisphere summer. Prediction experiments show increased skill, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere and the tropics. Comparison with operational forecasts performed at ECMWF after FGGE, as well as with observing system experiments, shows that this is due to the improved data coverage during FGGE.
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