AICON-Global is an AI-based, deterministic, global weather forecasting model of the German Weather Service (DWD) and
complements the physics-based ICON modeling system. Operational model runs began on September 3, 2025. The data have
been available since March 2, 2026.
The model uses the same horizontal grid as ICON-Global, with a resolution of approximately 13 km. Vertically, AICON
has a reduced structure with 13 model levels from the surface up to about 50 hPa.
Initialization is carried out analogously to ICON-Global every three hours. The forecast ranges are staggered:
- up to 180 hours for 00 and 12 UTC,
- up to 120 hours for 06 and 18 UTC,
- up to 48 hours for 03, 09, 15, and 21 UTC.
Output is provided every three hours.
The model predicts near-surface parameters (2-m temperature, 2-m relative humidity, 10-m wind components, surface
pressure, accumulated total precipitation) as well as temperature, specific humidity, wind components, and pressure
on 13 vertical model levels.
Methodologically, AICON is based on data-driven neural networks, including graph and transformer architectures. The
objective is the direct approximation of the temporal evolution of atmospheric states based on training data. The
model is designed as a deterministic single model and currently does not have its own ensemble system.
Through the parallel provision of AICON-Global and ICON-Global, different modeling approaches can be compared: while
ICON is based on physical process modeling, AICON uses data-driven neural networks. The simultaneous availability of
both systems enables a systematic comparison of meteorological fields under an identical grid definition.
On our website, under the menu items “Forecast” and “AI/ML Models,” you will find additional operational AI and ML
models that are currently available, and you can directly compare their forecast performance for your location on
our website.
