FAQ
Weather model comparison — FAQ
Common questions about multi-model forecasting and Meteo·Models.
What is a multi-model weather forecast?
A multi-model forecast combines the output of several independent weather models instead of relying on one. Because each model has different biases, blending them is usually more accurate than any single model, and the spread between them tells you how confident to be.
Which weather model is the most accurate?
On average, the ECMWF IFS is the most accurate global model, holding roughly a one-day skill advantage over the GFS. But no model wins every time or every place, especially for precipitation — which is why comparing several and reading their agreement beats trusting one.
What is the difference between GFS and ECMWF?
The GFS is run by the USA’s NOAA at ~13 km and updates four times a day; ECMWF is run in Europe at ~9 km and updates twice a day. ECMWF is generally more accurate in the medium range; the GFS is free, open, and fresher. See our full GFS vs ECMWF comparison.
What does the certainty mask show?
The certainty mask visualises how much the selected models agree at each point. It computes the spread (standard deviation) across models and brightens where they converge and fades where they diverge — so bright areas are high-confidence and faded areas are uncertain.
What weather models does Meteo·Models include?
Global models including ECMWF IFS and AIFS, GFS, NOAA AIGFS, DWD ICON, Météo-France ARPEGE, UK Met Office Global, Canada’s GEM, Japan’s JMA GSM and China’s CMA GRAPES. You can overlay any of them and switch between temperature, precipitation, wind and pressure.
Is Meteo·Models free?
Yes. Meteo·Models is completely free and requires no account or sign-up. It runs entirely in your browser.
Where does the weather data come from?
Forecast data is retrieved through Open-Meteo, which aggregates the open data feeds of the national weather services that run these models. Base maps are from CARTO and OpenStreetMap.
How often is the data updated?
Each model updates on its own schedule — typically two or four times a day. Meteo·Models loads the latest available run for each model you select.
Can I use Meteo·Models on my phone?
Yes. The map is responsive and works on mobile browsers. Tap the map for a point forecast and open the menu to toggle models and the certainty mask.