Global climate models are used for forecasting weather, understanding climate and projecting climate change.

They aim to simulate the interactions of the world’s atmosphere, oceans and land surfaces, so they are known as dynamical models.

They are used to calculate and predict climate patterns or long-term forecasts.

Some of them are also used to predict climate change, using different greenhouse gas level scenarios.

NOAA Climate Services has a good presentation that explains what global climate models are and how they work.

The Bureau of Meteorology's forecasts take into account a range of global climate models including:

• POAMA (Australia)
• GLOSEA (UK)
• European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (Europe)
• International Research Institute for Climate and Society (USA)
• Other global climate models

POAMA – Australian Bureau of Meteorology

POAMA, or the Predictive Ocean Atmosphere Model for Australia, is the Bureau of Meteorology’s experimental global climate model for Australia.

Managing Climate Variability, the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO are working together to improve it so that it can become a routine part of the Bureau’s forecasts.

Glo Sea – UK Met Office

International research centre studying global climate, with a focus on climate change scenarios and impacts.

European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (Europe)

Medium-range weather forecasts, ocean analysis, seasonal forecasts, and data services.
This centre links to the sites of the 31 member countries.

International Research Institute for Climate and Society (USA)

Seasonal rainfall and temperature forecasts for Australia.

Technical reports and information on the state of El Niño - Southern Oscillation.

Other global climate models

Other global climate models with varying levels of accuracy for Australia include:

• SINTEX JMA (Japan)
• CFS03 NCEP (USA)
• ECPC (USA)
• APCC (Korea)