ERA5 hourly data on single levels from 1940 to present

ERA5 is the fifth generation ECMWF reanalysis for the global climate and weather for the past 8 decades. Data is available from 1940 onwards. ERA5 replaces the ERA-Interim reanalysis.

Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field Value
Source https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/datasets/reanalysis-era5-single-levels?tab=download
Maintainer European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
Version 5.0
Last Updated September 22, 2025, 21:24 (UTC)
Created September 22, 2025, 21:19 (UTC)
DOI https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.adbb2d47
Data Documentation https://confluence.ecmwf.int/display/CKB/ERA5%3A+data+documentation
Data Type Gridded
Horizontal Resolution Reanalysis: 0.25° x 0.25° (atmosphere), 0.5° x 0.5° (ocean waves) Mean, spread and members: 0.5° x 0.5° (atmosphere), 1° x 1° (ocean waves)
Publication Date 2018-06-14
Temporal Coverage 1940 to present
Temporal Resolution Hourly
Update Date 2025-09-22
Update Frequency Daily
creation method Reanalysis combines model data with observations from across the world into a globally complete and consistent dataset using the laws of physics. This principle, called data assimilation, is based on the method used by numerical weather prediction centres, where every so many hours (12 hours at ECMWF) a previous forecast is combined with newly available observations in an optimal way to produce a new best estimate of the state of the atmosphere, called analysis, from which an updated, improved forecast is issued. Reanalysis works in the same way, but at reduced resolution to allow for the provision of a dataset spanning back several decades. Reanalysis does not have the constraint of issuing timely forecasts, so there is more time to collect observations, and when going further back in time, to allow for the ingestion of improved versions of the original observations, which all benefit the quality of the reanalysis product.