diff --git a/src/earthkit/data/wrappers/xarray.py b/src/earthkit/data/wrappers/xarray.py
index bdbfb2b2e..fd79680a0 100644
--- a/src/earthkit/data/wrappers/xarray.py
+++ b/src/earthkit/data/wrappers/xarray.py
@@ -58,14 +58,17 @@ def to_xarray(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """
         return self.data
 
-    def to_numpy(self):
+    def to_numpy(self, flatten=False):
         """Return a numpy `ndarray` representation of the data.
 
         Returns
         -------
         numpy.ndarray
         """
-        return self.data.to_numpy()
+        arr = self.data.to_numpy()
+        if flatten:
+            arr = arr.flatten()
+        return arr
 
     def to_pandas(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """Return a pandas `dataframe` representation of the data.
@@ -91,14 +94,17 @@ class XArrayDatasetWrapper(XArrayDataArrayWrapper):
     methods.
     """
 
-    def to_numpy(self):
+    def to_numpy(self, flatten=False):
         """Return a numpy `ndarray` representation of the data.
 
         Returns
         -------
         numpy.ndarray
         """
-        return self.data.to_array().to_numpy()
+        arr = self.data.to_array().to_numpy()
+        if flatten:
+            arr = arr.flatten()
+        return arr
 
     # def component(self, component):
     #     """
diff --git a/tests/wrappers/test_xarray.py b/tests/wrappers/test_xarray.py
index d3e43b55b..d7466cd25 100644
--- a/tests/wrappers/test_xarray.py
+++ b/tests/wrappers/test_xarray.py
@@ -49,3 +49,21 @@ def test_xarray_lazy_fieldlist_scan():
     assert ds._fields is None
     assert len(ds) == 2
     assert len(ds._fields) == 2
+
+
+@pytest.mark.no_eccodes
+def test_xarray_to_numpy():
+    import xarray as xr
+
+    data_array = xr.DataArray(
+        [[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6]],
+        dims=["x", "y"],
+        coords={"x": [1, 2], "y": [3, 4, 5]},
+    )
+    ds = from_object(data_array)
+
+    arr_2d = ds.to_numpy()
+    assert arr_2d.shape == (2, 3)
+
+    arr_1d = ds.to_numpy(flatten=True)
+    assert arr_1d.shape == (6,)