Dr. J. Nash President of CIMO TECO-2008, St Petersburg, 27-29 November

1. The underpinning and crosscutting role and responsibilities of theInstrument and Methods of Observation Programmeand CIMOin the context ofWIGOS Dr. J. NashPresident of CIMO TECO-2008, St Petersburg, 27-29 November

2. CIMO Mission To promote and facilitate international standardisation and compatibility of meteorological observing systems used by Members within the WMO Global Observing System to improve quality of products and services of Members.

3. Aim of CIMO intercomparisons • To improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of surface based and upper air observing systems by exploiting existing national tests and performing global intercomparisons; • To provide recommendations on systemperformance, improvements of instruments and methods of observation, suitable working references to WMO Members and instrument manufacturers.

4. CIMO Strategy • Support initiatives which by coordinating collective actions by Members with respect to observing systems produce results that exceed what each Member could produce unilaterally to meet their critical needs; • Support capacity building in developing and least developed countries to close the gap between them and the developed countries; • Support development of new observing equipment, critical to Member’s needs, collaborating with members of HMEI , the scientific community and other developers to facilitate a production of reliable instruments that are adequately tested before use.

5. Witness of earlier CIMO activities in Brazil

6. Testing problems with early GPS radiosondes, 2001, Brazilian staff advised by CIMO experts

7. Preparing for the Future, 2007 In China

8. Mauritius ,2005 Mauritius staff trained by WMO experts

10. Laboratory Intercomparison of Rainfall Intensity (RI) Gauges(De Bilt-Genova-Trappes, Sep04-Sep05) Unique results achieved and published • Error characteristics of 19 RI gauges • A standardized procedurefor laboratory calibration of catchment type rain gauges • Reference for the field tests/comparisons • Guidelines for improving the homogeneity of rainfall time series of high intensity

11. LABORATORY SIMULATION OF INTERMITTENT RAINFALL(Varying duration, same intensity,1-min resol.)

12. Training in methods of observation, Tanzania

13. Advanced radiosonde Training for GCOS, Region III,

14. Key Challenges • Improving sustainability of observing systems; • Integrating remote sensing and in-situ observing systems; • Monitoring in severe weather/climate conditions; • Improving Weather radar calibration and evaluation of algorithms (QPF); • Development of technical expertise.

15. Expected Results, Key Performance Targets for CIMO [1] • Work of CIMO between 2007 and 2011 is expected to contribute to the WMO strategic expected result of :- The Integration of WMO Observing Systems • CIMO will still contribute to other strategic expected results, but will not receive direct funding for this. • Enhanced capabilities of NMHS in developing countries, particularly least developed countries , to fulfil their mandates • Enhanced capabilities of Members in multi-hazard early warning and disaster prevention and preparedness.

16. WMO Integrated Global Observing System Branchincludes Observing Systems Division, Space Programme Office, GCOS Joint Planning Office, WIGOS Planning Office • Observing systems Division [OSD] includes:- • WWW Global Observing Systems Programme • Instruments and Methods of Observation Programme • Marine and Oceanographic observations, data management and information • Aeronautical observations

17. WIGOSa chance to work together to improve the global observing systems so integration activities should result in improved partnerships, e.g. between research and operations Needs to be a plan of actions or mechanisms to ensure actions occur, more than just excellent paperwork.

18. WIGOS • WIGOS will benefit society through enhanced availability and integration of global weather, climate and water observations contributed by constituent systems.

19. WIGOS An observing system for atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial (including hydrological and cryospheric) domains A system that improves WMO observation management and management structures and also encourages broadening of governance frameworks (e.g. inter-agency co‑sponsorship of systems), with other scientific research or environmental institutions. Increased interoperability between the various systems with particular attention given to complementarity between the space-based and insitu components; To ensure that in broader governance frameworks, WMO relationships with other international entities are respected, sustained and strengthened.

20. The benefits expected from WIGOS for the users of observations are:- • Improved observation services; • Increased quality and access to observations • More efficient use of resources in managing observing systems • Better preparedness to incorporate new observing systems and to interface with non-WMO systems.

21. WIGOS Integration Areas • Three key areas where standards will be applied:- • Measurements and observations, must ensure component observing systems are functioning correctly and reporting observations in accordance with the known sampling and error characteristics for that type if system • Data exchange, discovery, access and retrieval [ standards imposed by the use of WIS] • End-product quality management, Quality monitoring needs to be associated with organised feedback to improve identified problems with observing systems

22. Active management of quality Measurement standards, Technical and methods of observation Data exchange and Discovery, Access and Retrieval standards Suitable for both real time and research applications QMF standards applied in NWP centres or dedicated Archiving centres GOS Interoperable Products to be accessed through WIS for Weather, Climate And Water For Analysis, Forecast And warnings GCOS GOOS WIS GTOS GAW Users

23. How to transform the concept into an action plan? • Different types of observing system require different approaches, e.g. satellites or ground based observing systems • CIMO activities fundamental to 1st and third areas and in contributing information to the Metadata for the second area • Documentation required so that users know how to link surface and space based observations to produce interoperable products for each meteorological variable.

24. Example of the upper wind network • Only functions well if a variety of systems are used together. • In these examples two insitu systems radiosondes and aircraft take snapshots over a specified path for a short time. The characteristic errors of these two types of measurements are different, although often of similar magnitude. The atypical errors that occasionally occur are quite different for the two systems. • Wind profiler winds are often integrated for 30 minutes over a cross section of avout 1km at 2 km,and 5 km at 10 km. • Weather radar winds are derived around a cone of wider crosssection, e.g. 7.5 km at 2 km and 5 km at 20 km, and will be usually sampled over a much shorter time period than the wind profiler winds.

25. 1km for 12.00 on 06 September 2008 Aircraft winds do not always Agree with collocated aircraft winds, given real atmospheric variability Weather radar winds only where it is raining

26. 5 km for 12.00 on 06 September 2008

27. 5 km for 12.00 on 06 September 2008 Aircraft winds dominate, but there are very few aircraft in the middle of the night In Europe

28. Lower and middle troposphere. Satellite winds from tracking cloud and water vapour structure. Sampling is for much deeper layers than the ground-based systems/aircraft. Comparison with NWP fields is essential to eliminate false winds, before values are reported

29. Upper troposphere. Satellite winds from tracking cloud and water vapour structure. Sampling is for much deeper layers thanThe ground-based systems/aircraft. Comparison with NWP fields is essential to eliminate false winds, before values are reported

30. Looking in more details reveals some suspiciousmeasurements that probably should have been quality controlled Poor weather radar winds

31. Time series of measurements also allows identificationof atypical errors UK weather radar for 6 September 2008

32. Time series of measurements also allows identificationof atypical errors UK wind profiler for 6 September 2008

33. Is this wind profiler functioning correctly with so many missing winds between 7 and 12 km?

34. This looks much better, but engineering tests have Shown that the antenna needs renewal to some extent. Can the satellite winds resolve the strong wind shear in the vertical seen here?

35. Errors estimated from the time series vary from weekto week, see next slide as well

36. Errors estimated from the time series vary from weekto week, so scattering conditions in the atmosphere affectthe wind profiler performance. Periods of poorer performance need to be flagged to the users, but this does not happen now.

37. Some conclusions for upper winds integration Uniformity of performance relies on:- • Thorough testing of systems before large scale deployment • System maintenance regimes that maintain the performance of the system to the expected levels, • quality management that is effective and can detect anomalies and report them back to the system operators. • In some cases, monitoring will have to be performed on the internal functioning of the observing system as well as on the reported products. • Detailed evaluation of system performance from specialized tests and from the various monitoring methods

38. Underpin and crosscut in WIGOS? • Measurement standards and quality assurance and management are clearly areas where CIMO should aim to underpin the integration activities. • The crosscutting comes from the need to liaise with experts in other Technical Commissions to deal with a wider range of observing systems, than has currently been addressed in CIMO activities.

39. WIGOS has Pilot Projects to test improving coordination between a variety of Technical Commissions and also at least 6 national Demonstration Projects. The results will be used to establish whether a full scale implementation of WIGOS will justify the necessary investment. • CIMO needs to support all these Pilot Projects, and suitable national Demonstration Projects. • Integration of WWW/GOS and GAW into WIGOS • Integration of AMDAR into WIGOS • Elaborating the underpinning/crosscutting role and • responsibilities of the Instruments and Methods of Observation • Programme in the context of WIGOS. • Integration of marine meteorological and other appropriate • oceanic observations into WIGOS • Initiation of a Global Hydrological network in the context of • WIGOS

40. This means CIMO should start working now towards: • For all elements of WIGOS respond to the requirements for standardized and compatible observations, including data content, quality and metadata. [expansion of CIMO Guide?] • Provide advice, studies and recommendations concerning effective and sustainable use of instruments and methods of observations, including quality management procedures such as methods of testing, calibration and quality assurance. • Conduct and /or coordinate global and regional field intercomparisons and performance testing of instruments and methods of observation. • Promote the development of measurement traceability to recognized international standards, including reference instruments and effective hierarchy of world, regional, national and lead centres for instrument calibration, development and testing.

41. This means CIMO should start working now towards : • Encourage research and development of new approaches in the field of instruments and methods of observation of required variables. [Improve liaison with the scientific research community and with HMEI] • Promote the appropriate and economical production and use of instruments and methods of observation with particular attention to the needs of developing countries. • Promote , integration, inter-calibration, compatibility, and interoperability between space –based and surface based (insitu and remote sensing) observations , including conducting test-bed observing experiments. • Support training and capacity building activities in the area of instruments and methods of observation.

42. Will the future see the death of WMO support to conventional instrumentation or improved Usefulness to all Members? This is our responsibility

43. Questions & answers

44. Instruments and Methods of Observation Programme and CIMO • IMOP is to promote development , documentation, and the worldwide standardisation of meteorological and related geophysical and environmental instruments and instruments and methods of observation to meet agreed user needs for data: • To ensure the the effective and economic use of instruments and methods of observation under varying working conditions and in differing technical infrastructures by providing technical standards, guidance material, performance specifications, technology transfer and training assistance. and CIMO is responsible • For matters relating to international standardisation and compatibility of instruments and methods of observation and hence responsible for the IMOP Programme.

45. A new challengeExpected Results, Key Performance Targets for CIMO [1] • For activities to receive financial support in future, WMO Members must see useful outputs from the activities of CIMO. • I would prefer that the usefulness of CIMO is measured in terms of outcomes achieved. • An expert team that does not function can no longer be tolerated. • Outputs must be more than useful discussions between experts, especially if these discussions do not represent any progress from the previous intersessional period.

46. WIGOS aims to;-Address in the most cost/effective way all of the WMO Programme observation requirementsFacilitate access in real and quasi-real time to all required information through WIS, both for WMO Programmes and related international Programmes and eventually to all usersFacilitate archiving of the dataAssure quality of the data, to published standardsEnsure Metadata required by the Programmes is provided through WISEncourage technological innovation in observing systems, working with scientific institutions and instrument manufacturersWork with manufacturers in testing the next generation observation instruments