{
  "dataset": "seasonal-original-single-levels",
  "originating_centre": "ecmwf",
  "system": "51",
  "area": [40, 70, -20, 150],
  "area_order": "north, west, south, east",
  "variables": {
    "predictands": ["total_precipitation", "2m_temperature"],
    "predictors": [
      "sea_surface_temperature",
      "soil_temperature_level_1",
      "surface_latent_heat_flux",
      "surface_sensible_heat_flux",
      "top_net_solar_radiation",
      "mean_sea_level_pressure",
      "top_net_thermal_radiation",
      "volumetric_soil_moisture"
    ]
  },
  "temporal_convention": "Split requests by semantics: 6-hourly instantaneous; 24-hourly cumulative precipitation/flux/radiation from step 24; 24-hourly instantaneous soil moisture from step 24. Include the LT=7 00 UTC boundary; products use LT=1..6.",
  "output_directory": "data/ecmwf/raw_split",
  "download_groups": {
    "instantaneous": {
      "variables": [
        "2m_temperature",
        "sea_surface_temperature",
        "soil_temperature_level_1",
        "mean_sea_level_pressure"
      ],
      "expected_netcdf_variables": ["t2m", "sst", "stl1", "msl"],
      "expected_members": 25,
      "start_hour": 0,
      "step_hours": 6,
      "allow_missing_initial_step": true,
      "enabled_by_default": true,
      "temporal_semantics": "6-hourly instantaneous values; CDS may omit step 0"
    },
    "accumulated": {
      "variables": [
        "total_precipitation",
        "surface_latent_heat_flux",
        "surface_sensible_heat_flux",
        "top_net_solar_radiation",
        "top_net_thermal_radiation"
      ],
      "expected_netcdf_variables": ["tp", "slhf", "sshf", "tsr", "ttr"],
      "expected_members": 25,
      "start_hour": 24,
      "step_hours": 24,
      "enabled_by_default": true,
      "temporal_semantics": "24-hourly cumulative values from forecast initialization; first value is step 24"
    },
    "soil_moisture": {
      "variables": ["volumetric_soil_moisture"],
      "expected_netcdf_variables": ["vsw"],
      "expected_members": 25,
      "expected_soil_layers": 4,
      "start_hour": 24,
      "step_hours": 24,
      "enabled_by_default": false,
      "temporal_semantics": "24-hourly soil-level field; preserve GRIB/NetCDF temporal metadata and confirm stepType/cell_methods from the validated pilot before monthly aggregation"
    }
  }
}