For referencing in publications or other texts any work that involves using WRF or WRF output, we encourage the citation of the model. This allows others to understand what was used and helps the WRF support effort in assessing the scope of the model's use and broader impacts.
The WRF-ARW Model (Version 4) may be cited as follows:
Skamarock, W. C., J. B. Klemp, J. Dudhia, D. O. Gill, Z. Liu, J. Berner, W. Wang, J. G. Powers, M. G. Duda, D. M. Barker, and X.-Y. Huang, 2019: A Description of the Advanced Research WRF Version 4. NCAR Tech. Note NCAR/TN-556+STR, 145 pp.
doi:10.5065/1dfh-6p97
*NOTE: If using older versions of WRF, please use the citing information below:
Version 3
Skamarock, W. C., J. B. Klemp, J. Dudhia, D. O. Gill, D. M. Barker, M. G Duda, X.-Y. Huang, W. Wang, and J. G. Powers, 2008: A Description of the Advanced Research WRF Version 3. NCAR Tech. Note NCAR/TN-475+STR, 113 pp.
doi:10.5065/D68S4MVH
Version 2
Skamarock, W. C., J. B. Klemp, J. Dudhia, D. O. Gill, D. M. Barker, W. Wang, and J. G. Powers, 2005: A description of the Advanced Research WRF Version 2. NCAR Tech. Note NCAR/TN-468+STR, 88 pp.
doi:10.5065/D6DZ069T
For citation references for WRF physics packages and specialty systems, see this page.
WRF-ARW DOI
The WRF-ARW Model also has a Digital Object Identifier (DOI), which is a persistent identifier for web-based resources. The WRF-ARW DOI (see link below) provides a persistent link to the WRF information web page, which connects users to the model source code, documentation, previous versions, and other resources.
WRF-ARW DOI
doi:10.5065/D6MK6B4K
Abstract
The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model is a next-generation mesoscale numerical weather prediction system designed for both atmospheric research and operational forecasting applications. It features two dynamical cores, a data assimilation system, and a software architecture supporting parallel computation and system extensibility. The model serves a wide range of meteorological applications across scales from tens of meters to thousands of kilometers. The effort to develop WRF began in the latter 1990's and was a collaborative partnership of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (represented by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the Earth System Research Laboratory), the U.S. Air Force, the Naval Research Laboratory, the University of Oklahoma, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
For researchers, WRF can produce simulations based on actual atmospheric conditions (i.e., from observations and analyses) or idealized conditions. WRF offers operational forecasting a flexible and computationally-efficient platform, while reflecting recent advances in physics, numerics, and data assimilation contributed by developers from the expansive research community. WRF is currently in operational use at NCEP and other national meteorological centers as well as in real-time forecasting configurations at laboratories, universities, and companies.
WRF has a large worldwide community of registered users (a cumulative total of over 48,000 in over 160 countries), and NCAR provides regular workshops and tutorials on it. The WRF system contains two dynamical solvers, referred to as the ARW (Advanced Research WRF) core and the NMM (Nonhydrostatic Mesoscale Model) core. The ARW has been developed in large part and is maintained by NCAR's Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Laboratory, and its users' page is: WRF-ARW Users' Page. The NMM core was developed by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), and is currently used in their HWRF (Hurricane WRF) system.
This site provides general background information on the WRF Model and its organization and offers links to information on user support, code contributions, and system administration. For detailed information on model use, updates and events, support, code downloads, and documentation, please visit the WRF-ARW users' page (see above).
For any questions regarding the WRF model, please post to the WRF & MPAS-A Support Forum:
http://forum.mmm.ucar.edu/phpBB3/ .