“Using ECMWF’s Forecasts” is a forum for ECMWF forecast users to exchange ideas, share experiences, and discuss the use and performance of ECMWF’s forecasts and related products, helping to ensure that ECMWF’s services continue to meet user needs.
Open to all ECMWF forecast users, the forum provides opportunities for attendees to present their work, give feedback on forecast performance and available products and services, and stay informed about ECMWF’s latest updates and plans. Dedicated time is included for sharing experiences and networking with ECMWF staff, ECMWF Member and Co-operating States, and other users from around the world.
UEF2026 theme: Extreme Temperature Forecasts
Temperature is a fundamental variable that affects everyone and everything, commonly with significant impacts. UEF2026 will focus on temperature forecasting with particular emphasis on extreme hot (heatwave) and cold (cold wave) events.
Overview
ECMWF provides a wide range of temperature forecast products and data, spanning medium-range (15 days), sub-seasonal and seasonal timescales. These include the well-known charts for 2m temperature and the 850 hPa level, products that quantify uncertainty such as meteograms, and those enable the calculation of probabilities for temperature thresholds being exceeded or falling below thresholds. Derived products like the Extreme Forecast Index (EFI) act as an 'alarm bell' for unusually hot or cold conditions worldwide in the medium-range to sub-seasonal ranges, while SEAS5 provides seasonal outlooks of temperature anomalies. Member and Co-operating States utilise ECMWF temperature data through downscaling and post-processing activities to better forecast temperatures and extremes in their areas. Together, these products and data support temperature forecasting for a broad range of applications and decision-making contexts.
Over recent decades, temperature forecast skill has improved consistently, driven by advances in numerical weather prediction including coupling with other Earth System components (land, ocean, sea-ice, atmospheric composition) and data assimilation methodologies implemented through ECMWF model upgrades.
More recently, ECMWF's machine learning models, AIFS and AIFS ENS, have demonstrated strong performance for temperature forecasting, in many cases matching or exceeding traditional NWP approaches. In addition, high-resolution simulations from the Destination Earth programme provide valuable case studies that deepen understanding of temperature extremes and their forecasting.
Beyond weather timescales, ECMWF contributes to climate monitoring through the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) with applications such as the Climate Pulse and reports like the Global Climate Highlights. The key dataset, ERA5 reanalysis, facilitates research on climate variability and change, supporting analysis of how long-term temperature trends are impacting the world.
UE2026 will bring together the forecasting community to advance understanding, share expertise, and strengthen collaboration in temperature forecasting across timescales.
Call for abstracts
Oral and poster presentations contributions are invited across four thematic areas linked with the UEF2026 theme. There is also an option to submit workshop proposals. These are intended to be more interactive sessions; however, please keep in mind that some attendees will be participating online.
Submissions on other relevant topics, innovative uses, or practical experiences with ECMWF forecasts are very welcome. UEF values the diversity of the user community and encourages contributions from all sectors and regions.
If you wish to make a contribution, please complete the abstract submission form before 27 March. Please note that poster presentations and workshops must be delivered in person.
Attendance
This event is open to all ECMWF forecast users, with the option to join either in person or online. Advance registration is required. If you wish to attend, please complete the registration form before 19 April.
Whilst there are no registration fees, please note that we are unable to provide funding to support attendance. Participants are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation costs.
Timeline
- 22 January 2026: Registration and abstract submission open
- 27 March 2026: Abstract submission deadline
- 10 April 2026: Notification of abstract acceptance
- 19 April 2026: Registration for in-person attendance closes