# Leveraging data-driven weather models for improving numerical weather prediction skill through large-scale spectral nudging

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.06100 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.06100/

## Key facts

- Cited by 8 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 6 of its 45 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 8 Jul 2024.

## Builds on (most cited first, 6 of 6)

- [FourCastNet: A Global Data-driven High-resolution Weather Model using Adaptive Fourier Neural Operators](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2202.11214/) (2022)
- [GraphCast: Learning skillful medium-range global weather forecasting](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.12794/) (2022)
- [FuXi: A cascade machine learning forecasting system for 15-day global weather forecast](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.12873/) (2023)
- [GenCast: Diffusion-based ensemble forecasting for medium-range weather](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.15796/) (2023)
- [FengWu: Pushing the Skillful Global Medium-range Weather Forecast beyond 10 Days Lead](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.02948/) (2023)
- [Pangu-Weather: A 3D High-Resolution Model for Fast and Accurate Global Weather Forecast](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.02556/) (2022)

## Built on by (most cited first, 8 of 8)

- [Prithvi WxC: Foundation Model for Weather and Climate](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.13598/) (2024)
- [Fixing the Double Penalty in Data-Driven Weather Forecasting Through a Modified Spherical Harmonic Loss Function](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.19374/) (2025)
- [Robustness of AI-based weather forecasts in a changing climate](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.18529/) (2024)
- [(Sparse) Attention to the Details: Preserving Spectral Fidelity in ML-based Weather Forecasting Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.16429/) (2026)
- [Efficient fine-tuning of 37-level GraphCast with the Canadian global deterministic analysis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.14587/) (2024)
- [Hierarchical Testing of a Hybrid Machine Learning-Physics Global Atmosphere Model](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.11313/) (2026)
- [Suitable Measures for the Potential Operational Utility of AI NWP Rainfall Forecasts Over Africa](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.31775/) (2026)
- [Strategic Governance of AI Models in Earth Science](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2610.10560/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Operational meteorological forecasting has long relied on physics-based numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. Recently, this landscape has faced disruption by the advent of data-driven artificial intelligence (AI)-based weather models, which offer tremendous computational performance and competitive forecasting accuracy. However, data-driven models for medium-range forecasting generally suffer from major limitations, including low effective resolution and a narrow range of predicted variables. This study illustrates the relative strengths and weaknesses of these competing paradigms using the physics-based GEM (Global Environmental Multiscale) and the AI-based GraphCast models. Analyses of their respective global predictions in physical and spectral space reveal that GraphCast-predicted large scales outperform GEM, particularly for longer lead times, even though fine scales predicted by GraphCast suffer from excessive smoothing. Building on this insight, a hybrid NWP-AI system is proposed, wherein temperature and horizontal wind components predicted by GEM are spectrally nudged toward GraphCast predictions at large scales, while GEM itself freely generates the fine-scale details critical for local predictability and weather extremes. This hybrid approach is capable of leveraging the strengths of GraphCast to enhance the prediction skill of the GEM model while generating a full suite of physically consistent forecast fields with a full power spectrum. Additionally, trajectories of tropical cyclones are predicted with enhanced accuracy without significant changes in intensity. Work is in progress for operationalization of this hybrid system at the Canadian Meteorological Centre.