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World Meteorological OrganizationWorking together in weather, climate and water

WMO STANDARDS & BEST PRACTICES

1st GCW Implementation Meeting (Geneva, 21-24 November 2011)

WMO/OBS www.wmo.int

WMO

Dr M. OndrášChief, WMO Observing Systems Division

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Outline

1. About WMO2. Standardization within WMO and

relevance to GCW3. Recommendations for GCW Actions

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WMO Organigram

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WMO Convention(Part II, Article 2, Purposes)

(a) To facilitate worldwide cooperation in the establishment of networks of stations for the making of meteorological observations as well as hydrological and other geophysical observations related to meteorology, and…;

(c) To promote standardization of meteorological and related observations and to ensure the uniform publication of observations and statistics;

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General Regulation of WMO ( Annex III, Structure and TOR of TCs)

I. Basic Commissions• CBS – (A)• CIMO – (A)• CHy – (A)• CAS – (B)

(A) Basic operations and facilities(B) Research in Atmospheric sciences

II. Applications Commissions• CAeM – (C)• CAgM - (C)• JCOMM - (C) • CCl - (C)

Develop, for consideration by the Executive Council and Congress, proposed international standards for methods, procedures, techniques and practices in meteorology and operational hydrology including, in particular, the relevant parts of the Technical Regulations, guides and manuals.

(C) Applications to economic and social activities

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WMO Regulatory Materialhttp://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/manuals.html

Technical regulations Manuals (Standard pr.) Guides (Recommended pr.

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WMO Regulatory Material

Technical Regulations (WMO-No. 49) (Mandatory publication):

– Volume I: General Meteorological Standards & Recommended Practices

– Volume II: Meteorological Service for International Air navigation

– Volume III: Hydrology– Volume IV: QM– Six Annexes: WMO Manuals

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WMO Regulatory MaterialA. Manuals (standard practices):1. International Cloud Atlas (WMO-No. 407), Volume I - Manual on the

observations of clouds and other meteors2. Manual on Codes (WMO-No. 306)3. Manual on Global Telecommunication System (WMO-No. 386) and

Manual on the WMO Information System (WMO-No. 1060)4. Manual on Global Data Processing and Forecasting Systems (WMO-

No. 485)5. Manual on Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544) 6. Manual on Marine Meteorological Services (WMO-No. 558)B. Guides (recommended practices):• Guides on GOS, GDPFS, GTS, • Guide to Met. Instruments and Methods of Observation• Guide to Hydro Practices• Guides to Practices or Services for different app areas, such as

Climatology, Agrometeorology, Aviation, MarineC. Other Technical Documents needed for general understanding

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WMO Regulatory Material

International Meteorological Vocabulary

• Aimed at standardizing the terminology used in

this field and at facilitating communication

between specialists speaking different

languages

• 1st edition in 1967,

• Last hard copy edition 1992

(3500 terms in four languages)

• Further updates in digital : METEOTERM

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WMO Regulatory Material

METEOTERM

• 34662 terms in six languages• Includes:

• International Meteorological Vocabulary• International Glossary of Hydrology• Terms from related sciences that appear in WMO documents

Cryospheric Vocabulary ?

http://wmo.multicorpora.net/METEOTERM/Main2.aspx?changeTermbase=0

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Partnership & Standardization

Working agreements:– UN: such as FAO and UNESCO– Intergovernmental: such as ESA and

EUMETSAT– Nongovernmental: such as IUGG, ICSU

Working agreements - standardizationstandardization:– International Organization for Standardization

(ISO), as of 2008– International Committee for Weights and

Measures (CIPM), as of 2002

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Partnership in Standardization

Cooperation Agreement with ISO (2008):1. Development of joint ISO/WMO tech standards2. WMO existing standards can become ISO standards3. WMO retains primary control of its own standards4. Underlines authority of WMO standards and enhances

international recognition WMO standardsNeed for GCW standards to be promoted to ISO standards ?

Working Arrangements with CIPM (2002):Ensuring traceability of measurements to SIPart of MRA: mutual recognition of standards & calibration & measurement certificatesNeed for GCW measurements to be traceable to SI ?

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Partnership in Standardization

(ISO)

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Partnership in Standardization

(CIPM)

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Manual on the Global Observing System, WMO-No. 544

Part I. General Principles Regarding the Organization, Design and Implementation of the Global Observing System

• Part II. Requirements for Observational Data - WMO Rolling Review of Requirements

• Part III. & Part IV Surface- and Space-based Subsystems: Composition & Implementation of Elements

• Part V. Quality Control

Need for a review of existing GCW practices ? ; “GCW Manual”?

http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/OSY/Manuals_GOS.html

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WMO Rolling Review of Requirements

Implementation Planfor Evolution of the GOS

All applications synthesis Recommendations for the

observing system

WMO Members’Space Agencies

and partner organizations’

Programmes

Critical Review

Long-term vision of the GOS

RequirementsRequirements

RequirementsRequirements

Statements of guidance

per application

Monitoringsurface/space

observingcapabilitiesand plans

Similar approach GCW Requirements?

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How URs are specified in WMO RQ DB

• For each application & each geophysical variable:– (i) Horizontal and (ii) Vertical resolution,

(iii) Accuracy, (iv) Observing cycle, and (v) Timeliness

• For each parameter:– “min” (or threshold), represent the value below

which observations are worthless– “max” (or goal), represents value beyond which

improvement gives no additional value – “breakthrough” (or optimum), represents

optimal cost/benefit

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Performance-benefit curve for an obs. system

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WMO User Req. DB & Application Areashttp://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/OSY/GOS-redesign.html

New?: Cryosphere7. Atm. Chemistry

12. Space weather6. Aeronautical met.

11. Climate appl.5. Seasonal & Inter-Annual F.

10. Climate monitoring4. Nowcasting & VSRF

9. Hydrology3. Synoptic met.

8. Agricultural met.2. High resolution NWP

7. Ocean applications1. Global NWP

WMO Database to serve as one-stop-shop for Cryo UR&OSC?Identify focal points from different Cryo areas Verify existing Cryo variables and add new Cryo variables in

WMO User RQ & Obs. Systems Capabilities Database

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MANUAL on WIGOSTo include CryoNET & other GCW networks ?

PART I - General Principles Regarding the Organization and Implementation of the WMO Integrated Global Observing System

1. Purpose and scope of WIGOS 2. Organization and design of WIGOS 3. Implementation of WIGOSPART II - Requirements for Observational

Data and Products Generated by WIGOS1. Classification of requirements1.1 General WIGOS observing requirements1.2 Requirements for elements observed by

WIGOS components1.3 Observational requirements for application

areas1.4 Requirements for environmental emergency

response activities2. Procedure for elaboration of requirements2.1 Formulation of observational data

requirements2.2 Evaluation of the feasibility of meeting

observing requirements

PART III - Requirements for Observing Systems Operation and Maintenance

1. General2. Standardization of instruments and methods

of observation3. Station metadata 4. Traceability of measurements to recognized

world standards and measurement uncertainties

PART IV - Requirements for Observational Data and Products Management

1. General2. The role of WIS 3. WIS compliance4. Data representation and formats (including

station metadata)5. Archiving of data (including metadata)6. Operational Database7. Standardization Database8. PortalPART V - Requirements for End-product

Quality…

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Schematic of Global Observing Systems

LANDATMOSPHEREOCEANSYSTEMS

GEOSS

GOOS GTOSWIGOS

GCOSCRYO

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Guide to Meteorological Instruments and Methods of Observation, WMO-No. 8

• Comprehensive und up-to-date guidanceon the most effective practices for making meteorological observations and measurements

• Describes instruments, systems and techniques in regular use from the simplest to the most complex

• Does not describe instruments and methods to be used only for research or experiments

• 1st edition 1954• 7th edition 2008• Supplement to 7th edition: 2011

http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/IMOP/publications/CIMO-Guide/CIMO_Guide-7th_Edition-2008.html

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CIMO Guidehttp://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/IMOP/publications/CIMO-

Guide/CIMO_Guide-7th_Edition-2008.htmlPart I. Measurement of meteorological Variables:• CHAPTER 1. General (Includes Measurement standards and Definitions)• CHAPTER 2. Measurement of temperature• CHAPTER 3. Measurement of atmospheric pressure• CHAPTER 4. Measurement of humidity• CHAPTER 5. Measurement of surface wind• CHAPTER 6. Measurement of precipitation (includes snow fall, depth, cover)• CHAPTER 7. Measurement of radiation• CHAPTER 8. Measurement of sunshine duration• CHAPTER 9. Measurement of visibility• CHAPTER 10. Measurement of evaporation• CHAPTER 11. Measurement of soil moisture• CHAPTER 12. Measurement of UA pressure, temperature and humidity• CHAPTER 13. Measurement of upper wind• CHAPTER 14. Present and past weather; state of the ground• CHAPTER 15. Observation of clouds• CHAPTER 16. Measurement of ozone• CHAPTER 17. Measurement of atmospheric composition

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CIMO Guide

Part II. Observing Systems:• CHAPTER 1. Measurements at automatic weather stations • CHAPTER 2. Measurements and observations at aeronautical met stations• CHAPTER 3. Aircraft observations• CHAPTER 4. Marine observations• CHAPTER 5. Special profiling techniques for the BL and the troposphere• CHAPTER 6. Rocket measurements in the stratosphere and mesosphere• CHAPTER 7. Locating the sources of atmospherics• CHAPTER 8. Satellite observations (is being completely revised)• CHAPTER 9. Radar measurements• CHAPTER 10. Balloon techniques• CHAPTER 11. Urban observations• CHAPTER 12. Road Meteorological Measurements• New chapter: Measurements in the harsh environment (including cold climate)Part III. QA and Management of Observing Systems:• CHAPTER 1. Quality management• CHAPTER 2. Sampling meteorological variables• CHAPTER 3. Data reduction• CHAPTER 4. Testing, calibration and intercomparison• CHAPTER 5. Training of instrument specialists

Review existing instrument & obs methods practices for Cryo?Expand CIMO Guide to include instruments for Cryo?

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Centres of Excellencein support of calibration, traceability, data

compatibility and integration16 Regional Instrument Centres (RICs) and 2 Regional Marine Instrument Centres (RMICs):

• Must operate calibration laboratories based on international standards, such as ISO 17025

• Must maintain a set of standard instruments• Must assist WMO Members in calibrating their ntl standards

6 Testbeds and Lead Centers:• Must provide guidance in integration of ground-based remote-sensing

and in situ observations, as well as in the development of standard procedures and advice related to instrument use and operation

• WMO-CIMO Testbed for In-situ Remote Sensing Instrument, Sodankylä, Finland. => opportunity for synergy

Similar approach to GCW Reference sites / Supersites ?

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STANDARDIZATION – harsh (cold) environment

Courtesy: Darren Tessmer, MSC

Herschel Island AWS

Issues:Large amounts of snowPower - significant periods of no data

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Elevated plateau may not always be a solution

Whistler MountainHigh Level

Courtesy Bill Scott, MSC

STANDARDIZATION – harsh (cold) environment

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STANDARDIZATION –harsh (cold) environment

AWS Russkiy IslandCourtesy: A. Klepikov, Roshydromet

Issues:IcingDifficult access (helicopter)Wild animals

Pond Inlet (Nunavut) AWS

Courtesy: D. Tessmer, MSC

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INTERCOMPARISONSBelow: WMO Field Intercomparison of

Thermometer Shields and Humidity Measuring Instruments

VEIG

LBOM

LLANLCOC

SCAE

SDAV

SSOCSYOUVDAV

VROT

VTHY VYOU

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WMO Intercomparisonshttp://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/IMOP/publications-IOM-

series.html

• Intercomparisons:– To determine and intercompare performance characteristics of

instruments under field or laboratory conditions– To link readings of different instruments – data compatibility &

homogeneity

• CIMO Survey on National Summaries of Methods and Instruments for Solid Precipitation Measurements at AWSs, WMO/TDNo.1544, 2010

• WMO Solid precipitation intercomparison (including snowfall & snow depth, 2011-2014

Need for intercomparisons in Cryo ?Participation in WMO Solid precipitation intercomparison ?

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RECOMMENDATIONS for GCW Actions & Implementation Plan

1. Standardization of Practices (networks, observations, instruments, data exchange & policy, products):

• Review existing GCW practices & develop inventory; and identify differences and inconsistencies

• Identify a need for new standard/best practices, identify priorities and develop newstandard/best practices

• Develop Cryospheric Vocabulary• Identify standard/practices that may be promoted to ISO standards?• Develop “GCW Manual”; would provide input to WIGOS Manual, CIMO Guide

2. Register user requirements in WMO RRR DB (RQs & OS capabilities):• Propose a new application area – Cryosphere• Identify focal points for Cryo different appl areas and OS Capabilities• Verify existing variables and add new (key) Cryo variables in RRR DB

3. Establish Centers of Excellence from among GCW Reference sites:• E.g., Instrument Centers and Testbeds responsible for maintaining a set of standard

instruments, calibration, intercomparison, traceability, compatibility, integration of RS and in-situ observations

4. Instrument Intercomparisons:• Identify needs• Participation in WMO Solid precipitation intercomparison (SPICE)

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