Workshop on the Operationalization of Objective Seasonal Forecasts and Sectoral Products on Sub-Regional Scales

Documents

• Concept note
• Agenda
• Logistical information note
• List of participants

Operationalization of objective seasonal forecasts

Session 1 - Opening

• Objectives of the workshop and expected outcomes, including the context of Decision 9 (EC-72) and the role of ClimSA in strengthening RCC capacities for objective seasonal forecasting, Wilfran Moufouma Okia (WMO)

Session 2 - Setting the scene

• Overview of the WMO Integrated Processing and Prediction System operational infrastructure, including reanalysis centres and GPCs-SSP, Eunha Lim (WMO)
• Overview of the WMO Guidance on Operational Practices for Objective Seasonal Forecasting (WMO-No. 1246) and recommended steps to generate user-tailored products, Caio Coelho (ET-CIDS)
• Transition from RCOFs to RCFs following the recommendations of the Global RCOF Review (Ecuador, 2017), Wilfran Moufouma Okia (WMO)
• Summary of the regional-specific guidelines for each ACP COF region, highlighting priority opportunities to strengthen objective seasonal forecasting:
  • GHACOF, Richard Graham (subject-matter expert)
  • SSACOF & WCSACOF, Angel G. Muñoz (subject-matter expert)
  • CariCOF, Cédric Van Meerbeeck (RCC Caribbean)
  • MedCOF, Esteban Rodríguez (subject-matter expert)

Session 3 - Current operational procedures for seasonal forecasting

• Overview of the status of operational global seasonal prediction systems, including products from GPCs-SP, LC-SPMME, C3S and GSCU and their relevance and practical use as key inputs for RCC objective seasonal forecasting operations, Caio Coelho (ET-CIDS)
• Current operational procedures for seasonal forecasting:
  • RCC Tokyo, Akihiko Shimpo (JMA)
  • RCC Pune, O. P. Sreejith (IMD)
  • RCC Africa, Hubert Kabengala (ACMAD)
  • RCC IGAD, Hussen Seid Endris (ICPAC)
  • RCC WAS, Tinny Seydou (AGRHYMET)
  • RCC ECCAS, Pascal Moudi (CAPC-AC)
  • RCC SADC, Surekha Ramessur (SADC-CSC)
  • RCC-Network NA, Wafae Badi (DGM)
  • SWIO RCC-Network, Laurent Labbé (Météo-France)
  • RCC-Network SSA, María Mercedes Poggi (SMN)
  • RCC Caribbean, Wazita Scott (CIMH)
  • Arctic RCC-Network, Marko Markovic (ECCC)
• Summary of good practices, gaps, limitations and capacity needs for generating objective seasonal forecasts by RCCs, Caio Coelho (ET-CIDS)

Session 4 – Technical components of objective seasonal forecasting

• Example of good practices for:
  • component 1: regional climate data, Eunice Koech (RCC IGAD)
  • component 2: global forecast data access, Jun-Hyeok Son (LC-SPMME)
  • component 3: global model evaluation and selection, Caio Coelho (ET-CIDS)
  • component 4: regional calibration and bias correction, Simon Mason (ET-CIDS)
  • component 5: regional climate outlook, Cédric Van Meerbeeck (RCC Caribbean)
  • component 6: tailored seasonal forecast products, Angel G. Muñoz (subject-matter expert)
  • components 7 & 8: forecast schedules and updates and quality management, Marko Markovic (Arctic RCC-Network)
• Summary of session 4, Sarah Diouf (WMO)
• Demonstration on how to access seasonal forecasts from the IRI Data Library, Simon Mason & Angel G. Muñoz
   

Session 5 – Improving national uptake of Regional Climate Centre and Regional Climate Forum products

• Case study of the application of RCC and RCOF products at national level, highlighting practical benefits and challenges:
  • Burkina Faso, Thomas Bere (ANAM)
  • Cameroon, Henriette Bita Lekina (DGM)
  • Morocco, Meriem Alaouri (DGM Morocco)
  • Madagascar, Anzela Mamiarisoa Ramarosandratana (Météo Madagascar)
  • Seychelles, Doreen Ikula (Seychelles Meteorological Authority)
  • South American countries, Angel G. Muñoz (subject-matter expert)
  • Mediterranean countries, Esteban Rodriguez (subject-matter expert)

Climpact

Session 1 – Introduction to Climpact and the role of climate data and indices and data quality control

• Overview of Climpact, Enric Aguilar (Rovira i Virgili University)
• Data requirement, Enric Aguilar (Rovira i Virgili University)
• Quality control, Enric Aguilar (Rovira i Virgili University)

Session 2 – Homogeneity assessment

• Introduction to homogenization procedures for climate datasets, focusing on ensuring data consistency for the reliable detection of trends and extremes, Enric Aguilar (Rovira i Virgili University)

Session 3 – Computation of climate indices for sector-specific analysis

• Introduction to the generation of climate indices, Enric Aguilar (Rovira i Virgili University)
• Correlation, Enric Aguilar (Rovira i Virgili University)