Annual Report 2007, C-SRNWP Programme

The first main work of the year for the Programme Manager (PM) has been related to the redaction of the four Programmes Proposals by the respective 'Redaction Committees' (see Quarterly Report 2006-4). With these Committees, the PM had intensive exchanges and wrote the first draft for two of these Proposals.

Proposals have been drafted for the four following Programmes:

• Enlarged SRNWP Programme from January 1st, 2008 (third phase of the SRNWP Programme)
• Interoperability between the four SRNWP models and the four global models driving them
• Common verification for and intercomparison between the four SRNWP models
• Operational European LAM-EPS, also as contribution to THORPEX TIGGE-LAM

Three of these four Proposals have been sent to the EUMETNET Secretariat by March 15th and have been discussed by Council at its 30th Meeting (12-13 April in Aberdeen).

The Proposal for a Programme on 'Common verification for and intercomparison between the four SRNWP models' has finally not been submitted, as the Redaction Committee was not convinced that what was proposed was really, what was needed. Due to shortage of time, it has not been possible before the redaction of the Proposal to thorough discuss the basic issues.

At its 30th Meeting, the EUMETNET Council took three important decisions for the future of the NWP in Europe.

1. The third phase of the SRNWP Programme (2008-2011) has been accepted with the new governance proposed in the Proposal: creation of an Advisory Committee and of scientific Expert Teams. On the other hand, Council has not accepted to enhance the function of Programme Manager to a full time job: it remains officially a 30% job
2. The Proposal for the creation of a new EUMETNET Programme for Interoperability between the European numerical forecasting systems has been accepted as described in the Proposal
3. The start of the Programme 'European LAM-EPS' has been postponed for an indefinite time.

From September, the main point of the activity of the Programme Manager has been the preparation and the participation at the joint 29th EWGLAM and 14th SRNWP Meeting that took place in Dubrovnik, very well organized by the National Meteorological Service of Croatia.

At the difference of the past SRNWP Annual Meetings, this meeting has been entirely devolved to the preparation of the third phase (2008-2011) of the SRNWP Programme that will be under the responsibility of a new Responsible Member (the NMS of Hungary) and of a new Programme Manager (Dr. Andras Horanyi). That third phase will not be a continuation of the second phase, but will strengthen and enlarge the activities of the Programme. This will be facilitated by the establishment of a new governance, where the Programme Manager will be accompanied and supported in his activities by an Advisory Committee and by the creation of Expert Teams, which will replace the present Lead Centres and receive enlarged responsibilities.

Another important point of discussion at the Annual SRNWP Meeting was centred on the form of the relation and collaboration between the new SRNWP Core Programme and the other EUMETNET Programmes related to NWP, as the Interoperability Programme and the Programme for Verification of model results.

More detailed information concerning the year under review can be found in the 2007 quarterly reports