The retrospective numerical scheme (RNS) is a numerical computation scheme designed for multiple past value problems of the initial value in mathematics and considering the selfmemory property of the system in physics. This paper briefly presents the historical background of RNS, elaborates the relation of the scheme with other difference schemes and other meteorological prediction methods, and introduces the application of RNS to the regional climatic self-memory model,simplified climate model, barotropic model, spectral model, and mesoscale model. At last, the paper sums up and points out the application perspective of the scheme and the direction for the future study.
