Abstract: A new method to utilize HIRS/2 (High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder Model 2) data in NWP (Numerical Weather Prediction) is given. After the geographical location, calibration and other preprocessing, HIRS/2 brightness temperatures (Tb) data from the polar orbiting satellite and conventional meteorological data are directly applied for building an initial field of NWP by using the optimum interpolation method without any retrieval procedures. Analysis and forecast experiments are carried out based on the limited area model from National meteorological Center of China. The preliminary results show that the forecasts from direct Tb data are better than those from satellite retrieval data.