WRF V3.3 Release Information

The next major release of WRF will be Version 3.3 and is targeted for late March 2011. The timeline for the release is given below. The date for getting new code to the Developers' Committee (DC) has passed, and the code is now frozen. Testing is underway and a release for friendly users will be made by February.

In general, developers seeking to have their codes for new capabilities provided to the Developers' Committee and then added to the repository should review Information for Code Contributors. Contributors may also write to wrfhelp for information and for contacting the Developers' Committee, which oversees code contributions to the WRF system and manages the WRF repository. The Developers' Committee is described in WRF Code Repository and Release Administration.

Candidate Features

A partial list of candidate features is given below. Candidate features are not guaranteed, and the following list is not exclusive. The inclusion of features or code in the release depends on their meeting the timeline for submission, getting into the repository, and passing all required tests. For future releases developers may submit code for consideration as long as the timelines are adhered to and the procedures for contribution (Information for Code Contributors) are followed. Developers and contributors may contact wrfhelp to get information on providing their code to a member of the Developers' Committee and on the addition of their code to the repository.

• Software: Excluded middle-domain processing (Metgrid, Real)
• New physics options: CAM physics (deep/shallow convection, PBL), SUNY-Albany microphysics, Goddard shortwave/longwave radiation schemes, GFS SAS deep/shallow convection schemes, Tiedtke deep convection scheme, modified Thompson microphysics
• Data assimilation: V9.3 RTTOV RTM, Upgraded 4DVAR, New background error option (cv6)
• HWRF improvements
• WRF-NMM updates: Digital filtering, Nonhydrostatic dynamics modification, New default moisture advection
• New WRF-Chem features/capabilities
• Huricane vortex idealized case

Timeline

The timeline for the release is as follows. "RC" refers to the Release Committee; "DC" refers to the Developers' Committee.

Mid-September, 2010

6-mo advance date (R-6m)

• Users notified of approximate release schedule and of date for getting code to a member of the Developers' Committee.

November 15, 2010

4-mo advance date (R-4m)

• New code or code modifications from outside contributors intended for the release must provided to the Developers' Committee.

December 15, 2010

Approx. 3-mo advance date (R-3m)

• Check on new features for the release is discussed by the RC (also by the DC).

January 7, 2011

Repository frozen (bugfixes excepted).

January 15, 2011

Approx. 2-mo advance date (R-2m)

• Tests for new features are included in regression test suite. Regression test data sets finalized.

February 15, 2011

Approx. 1-mo advance date (R-1m)

• Remaining bug fixes accommodated.
• Full set of regression tests run on machines at NCAR.
• Weekly RC meetings.
  

March 1, 2011

Approx. 2-week advance date (R-2w)

• Final round of large testing. RC and DC meetings focus on status of code and testing.
  

March 8, 2011

Approx. 1-week advance date (R-1w)

• DC certifies code (final approval) for release. Code packaged and staged for release.
  

Mid/Late March 2011

Release period.

Release Committee

The WRF Release Committee oversees the periodic major releases of WRF. It is described in the policies for NCAR's administration of the WRF code, found in WRF Code Repository and Release Administration. The Release Committee members are listed below.

Jordan Powers, NCAR/MMM- Chairman
Tom Black, NOAA/NCEP
Fei Chen, NCAR/RAL
Jimy Dudhia, NCAR/MMM
Dave Gill, NCAR/MMM
Georg Grell, NOAA/ESRL
Bill Skamarock, NCAR/MMM
Wei Wang, NCAR/MMM
Jamie Wolff, DTC
Xin Zhang, NCAR/MMM
Kevin Manning, NCAR/MMM (alternate)