Annual Report 2017, C-SRNWP Programme

author:

Balázs Szintai, C-SRNWP PM
Hungarian Meteorological Service
1024 Budapest, Kitaibel Pal utca 1., Hungary

submitted to:

EIG EUMETNET Secretariat

date:

February 28, 2018

1. Headlines

2. Status of programmatic targets

The main activity of the C-SRNWP programme is the scientific and technical (operational) coordination between the six LAM Consortia in Europe (ALADIN, COSMO, HIRLAM, LACE, SEECOP and Met Office). The coordination is ensured by the eight Expert Teams (data assimilation and use of observations; diagnostics, validation and verification; dynamics and lateral boundary coupling; link with applications; physical parameterization: upper air; predictability and EPS; surface and soil processes: model and data assimilation; system aspects) established in 2008 and through the regular correspondence, including the annual meeting, between the members of the SRNWP Advisory Expert Team Committee, which consists of the consortia heads and the Expert Team chairs. Standing for the success of the EUMETNET programmatic targets, coordination with other Forecasting (SRNWP EPS II, ASIST) and Observation (EUCOS, OPERA) Projects/Activities is done. During 2017 the following coordination efforts have been made.

Observation network design (support EUCOS, Obs-SET)

Input was prepared for the annual Obs-SET meeting on behalf of the SRNWP community. DFS (Degrees of Freedom for Signal) results as well as outcomes of Observing System Experiments from short-range NWP models have been collected to complement the picture shown by the global experiments. Latest experience with AMDAR-humidity data has also been shown. During the Obs-SET meeting it was discussed that in future the C-SRNWP PM will be more involved in the definition of EUCOS impact studies in order to represent the interests of the LAM community.

Preparation of the EWGLAM/SRNWP meeting

The EWGLAM/SRNWP meeting (2-5 October 2017) took place in Reading, United Kingdom, on the kind invitation of ECMWF. The meeting had over 80 participants. The programme was drafted by the C-SRNWP PM with the help of the Expert Team chairs (Data Assimilation, EPS, Link with Applications, Verification, Surface Processes). Presentations are accessible here.

The special topic of this year was convection parameterization. The meeting included the SRNWP business meeting, where the activities within the EUMETNET Forecasting Area and within the C-SRNWP Programme have been presented. The role of C-SRNWP in the next EUMETNET phase was also discussed.

Activities of the C-SRNWP Project were discussed after the main program at the SRNWP Advisory ET (AET) meeting.

SEECOP - new NWP consortium in Europe

The integration of the SEECOP consortium in the European NWP landscape continued in 2017, e.g. at the Obs-SET Meeting results from SEECOP were also presented and discussed. On 23 October 2017 the third meeting of SEECOP experts took place, where the C-SRNWP PM was also invited. Balázs Szintai attended the meeting, and in his address described the structure, status and plans of both EUMETNET and C-SRNWP.

Support for the Global Lake Data Base

Under the coordination of the EUMETNET C-SRNWP Programme a lake data base is being developed. This global lake data base (GLDB) comprises valuable information regarding lake depths and lake bathymetry for NWP models. In spring 2016 EUMETNET STAC and PFAC decided that the funding for 2017 (8500 EUR) should be included in the Forecasting Programme budget, which was acknowledged by Assembly. Unfortunately, due to the unavailability of the responsible person the work and funding had to be shifted to 2018. The new responsible person (Olga Toptunova from Russia, who will mainly work at FMI on GLDB) was identified.

C-SRNWP Surface Data Pool

At the AET Meeting the status of the Surface Data Pool was discussed. The usage is still very low. It was decided that it should be clarified whether there is an overlap between the Data Pool and the freely accessible Fluxnet network.

Collaboration with WMO on the SEE-MHEWS-A project

The South East European Multi-Hazard Early Warning Advisory System (SEE-MHEWS-A) project was initiated by WMO and it aims at setting up an early warning system based on limited area NWP models in the South East European region. Three preparatory workshops (Forecasters, Modelling, Observations) were organized by WMO at the beginning of 2017 to discuss the interests of participating countries. The Modelling Workshop was organized in Budapest, partly because the C-SRNWP Programme is coordinated by Hungary. At the Workshop an overview was given by the C-SRNWP PM on the goals and structure of EUMETNET in general and C-SRNWP in particular.

EUMETNET Core Team Meeting

The EUMETNET Core Team Meeting was organized in Budapest, Hungary between 17-18 January 2017. The local organization was done by the C-SRNWP PM.

Session at the EMS Annual Meeting

At the AET Meeting a possible representation of the C-SRNWP Programme at the EMS Annual Meeting was discussed. During December a session at the EMS Annual Meeting about the C-SRNWP and SRNWP-EPS programmes was proposed, with the aim to discuss current challenges of high resolution NWP at the European level including model developer and forecaster collaboration.

C-SRNWP in the next EUMETNET Phase

During the spring STAC&PFAC Meetings it was proposed that C-SRNWP will be a “fast-track” programme with a slightly increased ambition (“scenario 2”) and this was decided by Assembly on 1st June. Consequently, drafting the next phase requirements of C-SRNWP began in June, involving the Forecasting PM and the C-SRNWP Advisory Expert Team. Also, a discussion was started between the C-SRNWP PM and the NWP group of DWD, trying to convince DWD to be a member of C-SRNWP in the next phase. During autumn the new four tier structure of the Forecasting Capability Area was designed, where C-SRNWP will be a module in the NWP-cooperation Programme. During this redesign the “fast-track” status of C-SRNWP was cancelled and is in the 3rd batch of programmes, with a deadline for requirements in March 2018.

3. Communication and cooperation

The communication with C-SRNWP member representatives, the Forecasting Programme Manager, other PMs of the Forecasting Programme, Expert Teams is mainly maintained via email. Also the following meetings were used to enhance the communication and cooperation with different partners:

4. Benefits delivery

In general, the coordination of European limited area modeling activities is clearly beneficial for the EUMETNET partners, since it enhances the development of SRNWP models used by the modeling consortia and their members, significantly contributing to the improvement of meteorological forecasting services with special emphasis on the protection of life and property.

More particularly during this period, a contribution to the planning of the European observation network has been made where the needs of short range forecasting has been taken into account. This might lead to improved short range forecasts (potentially with lower costs) through an improved data network to assimilate. A significant coordination effort was made to exchange information with the newly organized NWP consortium SEECOP. Collaboration with WMO on the modelling aspects of the newly proposed SEE-MHEWS system were also important.

5. Financial report

Please find it in a separate excel file.

6. Risks and issues

None to report.

7. Programme change requests

None.

8. Outlook

The most important SRNWP related coordination goals for 2018 are to