The use of Argo data in the operational ocean forecasting activities at the UK Met Office

The Forecasting Ocean Assimilation Model (FOAM) system is an operational short-range deep ocean forecasting system. It consists of a set of nested model configurations, ranging from a global 1 model to intermediate resolution basin-scale models down to high resolution regional models, each of which takes boundary conditions from the larger-scale models. The models are forced at the surface by fluxes taken from the operational Numerical Weather Prediction system run at the UK Met Office. Forecasts are made out to 5 days.