WMO TECO-2024 Conference Programme


Day 1: Monday, September 23

Opening Ceremony and Topic 1: New measurement technologies and innovative integrated approaches (AM)
09:00 - 12:00

Opening Ceremony

09:30

Multi-magnification networks for visibility estimation

Nicola Santacroce
Data scientist
MeteoSwiss
Switzerland
Our work presents a deep learning approach to estimating atmospheric visibility from camera images, using MeteoSwiss’s existing camera network and a high-resolution digital surface model. This approach offers higher spatial and temporal measurement density at low extra cost, effectively handling complex weather conditions and enabling the creation of advanced visibility map products.

09:45

Cosmic rays neutron sensing is a mature technology for snow water equivalent measurement

Dr Luca Stevanato
CEO
Finapp
Italy
Cosmic ray neutron sensing (CRNS) has emerged in recent decades as a reliable technique to continuously measure snow water equivalent in remote areas using proximal, non-invasive sensors. We will discuss the performance of a large network of Finapp CRNS systems installed across the Italian Alps.

10:00

Strategy and technology for de-icing treatment on roads and runways during winter precipitation

Dr Arkady Koldaev
Scientific director
Central Aerological Observatory of Roshydromet
Russian Federation
The safety problem caused by road and runway icing is well known. A variety of chemicals are applied in most countries in the northern hemisphere when such a meteorological phenomenon is observed. To solve the problem, a system comprising a set of innovative instruments for automatic unmanned nowcasting of the ice formation on roads and runways was developed and tested. It was combined with technological equipment to enable automatic road treatment with liquid de-icing chemicals.

10:15

THERMACERN: A new method for precipitation analysis from Thies CLIMA

Dr Christoph Peper
Managing director
Adolf Thies (Thies CLIMA)
Germany
Supercooled precipitation is a weather phenomenon that poses considerable risks to road, ship and air traffic due to the associated formation of black ice. Until now, supercooled precipitation has been detected indirectly using ice detectors. Thies Clima has developed a new, highly sensitive and distinct method for the direct detection of supercooled precipitation, in which the heat of crystallization during the transition from the liquid to the solid phase is recorded.

11:00

AI improvement of irradiance measurements

Dr Marc Korevaar
Scientist
OTT Hydromet
Netherlands
The question we investigate here is whether artificial intelligence can improve irradiance measurements with pyranometers. The setup we used consisted of Class A and Class C pyranometers mounted on the roof of Kipp & Zonen. The results show that the Class C measurements can improve in accuracy and precision. However, artificially enhanced Class C measurements will not match the Class A measurement quality completely.

11:15

Overview of the 2024 WMO UAS Demonstration Campaign

Dr James O Pinto
Deputy director of the aviation applications program
NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research
USA
The WMO global Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) Demonstration Campaign (UAS-DC) took place from March through September of 2024. During this seven-month period, over 6,000 flight profiles were collected around the world using small weather-sensing UAS. The goals of the UAS-DC were to demonstrate the capabilities of weather-sensing UAS and assess their role and potential benefits as an operational observing system that could contribute to the Global Basic Observing Network (GBON). A summary of the campaign and next steps will be given.

11:30

Exploitation of webcam images for coastal applications

Nerea Garmendia Garcia
Student
University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
Spain
Webcams are crucial for beach surveillance, but interpreting their images requires specific knowledge. This study aims to create guidelines for analyzing marine data from these images, making it easier for the public to understand ocean risks. The research focuses on the Basque coast, using local photos and tools like MATLAB to develop a new measurement method.

11:45

The Yucatan HF radar network as a pathfinder for Caribbean-wide operations

Dr Scott Glenn
Distinguished professor
Rutgers University
USA
The Yucatan HF radar network is a trilateral collaboration (US, Mexico and Cuba) sponsored by the US National Academies of Sciences for improved understanding and forecasts of loop current evolution and hurricanes. It combines best practices from the global community and new technologies from CODAR Ocean Sensors, providing a framework for future expansion.

One-minute presentations of Session 1 posters
12:00 - 12:30

Topic 1: New measurement technologies and innovative integrated approaches (pm)
14:00 - 17:30

14:00

Mode-S: The benefits and challenges of high-density aircraft observations

Bruce Ingleby
Senior scientist
ECMWF - The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
UK
ECMWF assimilates Mode S high-resolution aircraft winds over much of Europe (starting in 2020 during the pandemic). In 2023 we introduced extra thinning after discovering convergence problems in our analysis system. The winds have similar qualities to AMDAR winds and result in large improvements to upper tropospheric short-range forecasts over Europe.

14:15

Cost-effective, high-accuracy routine atmospheric profiling with wxUAS

Dr Ben Pickering
Chief meteorological officer
Menapia
UK
The MetSprite is a vertically profiling meteorological drone measuring pressure, temperature, humidity and winds. It is capable of carrying most third-party payloads by providing power and datalogging on board. The MetSprite is available as a service for field campaigns and permanent long-term installations for routine operations such as NWP forecast data assimilation. By solving the technology and airspace issues, Menapia offers a compelling solution for above-surface atmospheric sensing. The MetSprite has been deployed on several field campaigns and is ready for wider deployment, which this presentation will describe.

14:30

Mapping horizontal wind speed using a single Doppler Wind Lidar scanning horizontally: A test case over Paris

Dr Clement Toupoint
Science & application research engineer, meteorology
Vaisala France
France
Wind flow plays an important role in the transportation of pollutants and the cooling of urban air. Using a Doppler wind lidar set up in downtown Paris and a wind reconstruction algorithm, we produce maps of horizontal wind speed and direction covering the entire downtown area. We highlight the effect of terrain on the wind flow, showcasing potential ventilation corridors that can help improve air quality in the city or cool it down during heat waves.

14:45

A situ profiling technique that can provide cost-effective upper-air measurements: Round-trip Drifting Sounding System (RDSS) in China

Qiyun Guo
Deputy chief of base division, meteorological observation center of CMA
Meteorological Observation Center of China Meteorological Administration
China
CMA has developed innovative in-situ profiling techniques that can provide cost-effective upper-air measurements: the Round-trip Drifting Sounding System(RDSS). This has been extended to three observation stages – ascent-drift-descent – which constitutes a next-generation approach to the acquisition of upper-air data, going well beyond simply adding descent data to the soundings.

15:00

Enhancing precipitation particle observations: The development and application of the balloon-borne and ground-based rainscope

Dr Kenji Suzuki
Professor
Yamaguchi University
Japan
To accurately describe cloud microphysical features, such as particle size, phase, number density and type, and the way particles form, grow and fall within clouds, a new balloon-borne/ground-based particle imaging sensor called Rainscope has been developed. It can acquire images that clearly recognize the outlines and irregularities of ice particles, as well as their state of aggregation and melting. In addition, Rainscope is designed to measure the fall velocity of a particle.

15:15

Windborne global sounding balloon observations

Todd Hutchinson
Chief meteorologist
WindBorne Systems
USA
To accurately describe cloud microphysical features, such as particle size, phase, number density and type, and the way particles form, grow and fall within clouds, a new balloon-borne/ground-based particle imaging sensor called Rainscope has been developed. It can acquire images that clearly recognize the outlines and irregularities of ice particles, as well as their state of aggregation and melting. In addition, Rainscope is designed to measure the fall velocity of a particle.

15:30

Machine learning methodology for remote calibration and anomaly detection in collaborative sensor fusion networks

Amul Batra
Scientist 'E'
O/o DGM, Ministry of Earth Science New Delhi
India
A novel methodology and techniques using machine learning have been explored. Deployment of these techniques will lead to a comprehensive solution for remote calibration and anomaly detection in collaborative sensor fusion networks. By combining advanced regression techniques with anomaly detection algorithms, the system can ensure the accuracy, reliability and resilience of sensor networks in diverse operational environments.

16:15 - 17:30

PANEL DISCUSSION SESSION 1: Trends and innovations in measurement technologies

Day 2: Tuesday, September 24

Topic 2: Environmental sustainability of observing systems
09:00 - 10:30

09:00

Driving a paradigm shift: Key outcomes from the WMO initiative to advance the environmental sustainability of observing systems and methods

Dr Michael Earle
Manager, change management and innovation
Meteorological Service of Canada
Canada
Recognizing the environmental impacts of operational weather monitoring programs, the WMO launched an initiative to promote and advance the environmental sustainability of observing systems and methods in late 2021. Under the guidance of INFCOM and with the Meteorological Service of Canada in a leadership role, this initiative has progressed through engagement and collaboration among the WMO, national meteorological and hydrological services and the vendor community. This presentation will provide a summary of key milestones and takeaways from the environmental sustainability initiative since its inception, providing a transition point as it enters a new phase of leadership under INFCOM’s Study Group on Environmental Sustainability (SG-EnvS).

09:15

A novel method of evaluating the environmental impact of radiosondes

Johannes Frielingsdorf
Head of R&D sounding systems
Graw Radiosondes
Germany
The environmental impact of radiosondes is a topic of growing interest. However, research has focused only on certain aspects of radiosonde design and no holistic evaluation of this topic has been carried out. We try to advocate for a more complete model of radiosonde sustainability and provide unique new approaches that can benefit the whole community.

09:30

An Investigation into the safety of descending radiosondes

Dr Edmund K Stone
Expert observations scientist
Met Office
UK
The Met Office, in collaboration with students from the University of Bath, investigated the safety of descending radiosondes by examining impact forces, terminal velocities, and injury thresholds. They provided recommendations for safe maximum descent speeds in populated areas and analysed the effects of parachutes, radiosonde models, and balloon sizes using real-world data.

09:45

Development and testing of an ultralight reusable glidersonde

Yohan Hadji
Founder at R2HOME
EPFL
Switzerland
The presentation will introduce the R2HOME glidersonde: the combination of a glider and a radiosonde that autonomously returns to its launch site after releasing at 30,000m altitude. The results of a 10-flight test campaign with MeteoSwiss in Payerne will be revealed.

10:00

Two examples of the use environmentally-friendly sensors by Meteo-France

Beatrice Vincendon
Head of surface observing network department of the observing systems direction
Météo-France
France
Météo-France aims to reduce the environmental impact of its observing facilities within its new corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. Two major advances will be shown. A recent pursuit concerns upper-air observation with the use of more environmentally friendly radiosondes as well as lighter balloons. Furthermore, a new generation of wooden buoy is being designed for marine observation.

10:15

A truly sustainable and comprehensive solution for The Global Basic Observing Network

Timo Siirtola
Product line manager
Vaisala
Finland
The Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) initiative aims to enhance observations in developing countries where there is a lack of trained workers. In such areas, it is very important that the solution is simple and user friendly and can be used and maintained with limited technical skills. This presentation will discuss the main aspects of a truly sustainable and comprehensive solution that will meet SOFF targets and more. Sustainable organizations seek sustainability in everything they do, from environmental stewardship in their buildings and manufacturing processes to the longevity of their products. A truly sustainable solution minimizes the environmental impact on the solution users.

Topic 3: Characterization and testing of instruments and methods (am)
11:00 - 12:15

11:00

Multi-year analysis of all-in-one meteorological observing instruments for scientific research use

Dr Bradley Illston
Senior research scientist and adjunct assistant professor
Oklahoma Mesonet, Norman, Oklahoma, USA and School of Meteorology, University of Oklahoma
USA
This multi-year research project independently tested and analyzed 10 all-in-one instruments from different manufacturers alongside reference sensors used in operational research weather stations. The statistical results of the comparisons of their meteorological measurements and discussion of technological issues, engineering improvements, construction durability, operational challenges and potential uses will be presented.

11:15

Intercomparison of radiation shields in polar climate: COAT Project

Dr Carmen Garcia Izquierdo
Head of mass department
Spanish Metrology Center (CEM)
Spain
A comparison of thermometer radiation shields in the Arctic was planned, organized, conducted and analyzed as part of the COAT project. Ten different radiation shields were included in this comparison, requiring readings from 41 thermometers for 14 months. All the thermometers were calibrated just before and after the field campaign, in which ancillary instrumentation was also included. The talk describes the comparison, the analysis procedure and the main conclusions.

11:30

Impact of thermometer diameter on observations of air temperature

Laura Bevilacqua
Higher scientist
National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
UK
Thermometers in air exhibit a radiative error that is a function of the sensor diameter. We present a study interpreting the temperature readings across thermometers of differing diameters and types, with reference to a non-contact thermometer which, in principle, is insensitive to radiative effects, to estimate the impact of thermometer diameter on the observation record.

11:45

Environmental influences on field measurement of temperature

Dr Jane Warne
Principal metrologist and field measurement and standardisation data and digital group
Bureau of Meteorology, Australia
Australia
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology is in the process of upgrading its automated weather observation network with new logging equipment at over 700 weather stations and replacing older wooden Stevenson screens with more modern plastic screens. To ensure the integrity of the temperature record, parallel observations are being undertaken at more than 100 sites across Australia and the Antarctic. Understanding the effects of these changes, such as retention of water on the screen based on the materials used in the screens, and the influence of ventilation across climatic zones is critical to understanding and securing the climate record. This paper will provide the background to the study, the challenges in establishing a continental study and early results from test stations.

12:00

Installation and operation of ultrasonic anemometers in JMA

Takashi Hamagami
Scientific officer
Japan Meteorological Agency
Japan
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has run ultrasonic anemometers in its nationwide AMeDAS automatic weather station (AWS) network since 2021, replacing conventional windmill-type anemometers. As of April 2024, these are in operation at 433 of the organization’s 687 AWSs. This presentation details the background to anemometer installation, evaluation testing and quality control.

One-minute presentations of Sessions 2, 3 and 4 posters
12:15 - 12:45

Topic 3: Characterization and testing of instruments and methods (pm)
14:00 - 15:00

14:00

Improving the cloud cover estimation using wide-field of view imagers compared to narrow field instruments

Mehdi Ben Slama
Computer vision R&D engineer
Reuniwatt
France
Cloud cover measurement uncertainties are a persistent issue for a variety of applications. Cloud amount time series retrieved from a ceilometer, longwave radiometer and an all-sky infrared camera are investigated at a site in Boulder, Colorado. Sources of uncertainty are identified and some mitigation strategies to improve cross-instrument agreement are discussed.

14:15

Time constant of a newly released air temperature sensor and its implications

Dr Dirk V Baker
Global science program manager and senior scientist
Campbell Scientific
USA
Recent work has demonstrated that few, if any, commercially available PRT sensors meet the WMO commendation for time constant of 20 seconds or less. We present the results of independent testing at two laboratories, demonstrating that a new sensor by Campbell Scientific is well below this recommendation, even at low airflow.

14:30

Inter-comparison of rainfall estimates from two optical rain gauge models

Dr Tsz-Ki Lau
Scientific officer
Hong Kong Observatory
Hong Kong, China
This report compares the rainfall recorded in the 2023 rain season by two optical rain gauge models, namely PWD22 and FD71P with the operational tipping bucket rain gauge (SL3-1) at Hong Kong International Airport. It also provides a preliminary assessment of their accuracy.

14:45

Development of Quantitative Precipitation Estimation (QPE) relations for dual-polarization radars based on raindrop size distribution measurements in Metro Manila, Philippines

Marco Polo Ibanez
Graduate research fellow
DOST-PAGASA, Department of Science and Technology, Philippines
Philippines
Three years of raindrop size distribution (DSD) measurements from two disdrometer stations in Metro Manila were collected during the Southwest monsoon period to develop quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) relations for dual-polarimetric radars. Observed DSD properties for stratiform and convective rainfall were discussed. The T-matrix scattering method was also demonstrated to effectively simulate radar parameters from the observed DSDs, with localized dual-polarimetric estimators enhancing QPE accuracy. This study offers potential improvements in radar-based rainfall monitoring in the region.

Poster session for Topics 1, 2 and 3
15:00 - 15:30

Panel Discussion Session 2: Evolving measurement requirements for WMO priorities (EW4AII, G3W, GBON, RBON and WIGOS Vision*)
16:00 - 17:15

Day 3: Wednesday, September 25

Topic 4: Traceability of measurements to recognized standards
09:00 - 10:15

09:00

Introduction to the development of ISO test method standards of radiosonde temperature, humidity and solar radiation correction

Dr Yong-Gyoo Kim
Research scientist
Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
Republic of Korea
The ISO TC/146 SC5/WG 11 (Radiosonde) working group will present the initiation and progress of developing SI-traceable international standards for testing radiosonde temperature, humidity and solar correction at the laboratory level.

09:15

Experimental study on measurement uncertainty of air temperature observation

Dr Jianxia Guo
Professor, chief scientist and deputy general engineer
Meteorological Observation Center of China Meteorological Administration
China
Due to the uncertainty of temperature measurement caused by the reflection of solar radiation from the ground, the net infrared radiation of the shield and the wind speed inside the shield, field experiments are designed to measure the influencing factors, and the uncertainty of the air temperature is evaluated.

09:30

Intercomparison and traceability of visibility measurements

Dr Jessica Strickland
Research scientist, observation and data technology
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI)
Netherlands
Calibrating scatterometers for reliable visibility measurements is nontrivial, yet essential for a variety of safety applications. The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) visibility standard consists of a scatterometer and a transmissometer that effectively measures low visibility (Bloemink, 2006). This transmissometer is being replaced and the key findings from parallel visibility measurements between the various instruments are presented, focusing on the meteorological optical range (MOR) during stable fog, without precipitation.

09:45

Field trials of trace-gas analyzers designed for eddy covariance flux measurements of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O)

Scott Cornelsen
Principal engineer
Campbell Scientific
USA
The TGA300 series of closed-path trace-gas analyzers is new instrumentation developed at Campbell Scientific specifically to meet the requirements of trace-gas EC flux measurements. This field study evaluated the TGA300s alongside other instruments used for the same purpose. The TGA310 measures methane (CH4) and was compared alongside an LI-7700 open-path analyzer. The TGA320 measures nitrous oxide (N2O) and was compared to a TGA200A closed-path analyzer. The field trial has shown the TGA300 to be a significant advancement in the tools available for EC measurements of methane and nitrous oxide.

10:00

Measurement uncertainty of eddy covariance based carbon budget

Dr Nicola Arriga
Scientific project officer
European Commission Joint Research Centre
Italy
An assessment of the random measurement uncertainty for eddy covariance estimates of mass and energy fluxes is presented. The case study of carbon exchanges between a forest and the atmosphere is shown, with the aim of developing a method compliant with metrological guidelines accepted worldwide.

Meet with SC-MINT Expert Teams Chairs for informal discussions for those people interested in contributing to the work of Teams
10:15 - 10:45

Topic 5: Quality assurance and maintenance of the observing systems (am)
10:45 - 11:45

10:45

Siting classification 2024: Guidance on implementation of the siting classification and future work on its optimization

Dr Mareile A. Wolff
Associate professor
Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Norway
During the last intersessional period (2018-2024) from WMO’s Expert Team on Surface and Subsurface Measurements (ET-SSM), a review of the siting classification scheme was performed, and additional guidance material was prepared. We’ll summarize this work and discuss SC-MINT’s roadmap for further optimization of the siting classification.

11:00

Maintenance and quality assurance of New York State Mesonet

Dr Junhong Wang
Director
New York State Mesonet, State University of New York at Albany
USA
This talk will give an overview of NYSM and its maintenance and quality assurance procedures for delivering high-quality, high-volume data in real time. NYSM operations and maintenance (O&M) are designed to minimize outages while providing users with confidence in the quality of the data received.

11:15

Sustaining a global observing network – the International Monitoring System perspective 

Dr Lucie Pautet
Maintenance unit head
Intertek
France
The International Monitoring System (IMS) includes 321 monitoring stations that monitor the globe for nuclear events. We are looking to foster exchange of experience and good practices in sustaining such observing networks.

11:30

MET Malaysia's meteorological mobile maintenance and site calibration

Mohd Azman Abd Ghafar
Assistant director
Meteorological Instrumentation Division
Malaysia
MET Malaysia is upgrading its surface observation maintenance equipment. The upgrade includes the procurement of field calibration equipment for PT-100 sensors and barometers. To accommodate the increased quantity and size of the equipment, MET Malaysia is using a pickup truck with a custom cargo box as its primary mode of transportation.

One-minute presentations of Sessions 5 and 6 posters
11:45 - 12:30

Topic 5: Quality assurance and maintenance of the observing systems (pm)
14:00 - 14:45

14:00

Research and application of weather radar calibration methods

Dr Yubao Chen
Director, radar operations and control office
Meteorological Observation Centre, China Meteorological Administration
China
In this paper, calibration methods such as far-field radiation sources, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a metal sphere, S-band dual-polarization testbed radar and multi-radar collocated comparisons were investigated. After calibration at the Changsha Meteorological Radar Calibration Center, the radar detection performance and data quality have been significantly improved.

14:15

What peculiar situations can we find on the Basque coast? 

June Madariaga Navarro
Marine surveyor and doctoral student
UPV/EHU University of the Basque Country
Spain
The quality of the observation of the sea along the Basque coast has been improved thanks to two coastal buoys. The data obtained is cross-referenced in this study with data collected by lifeguards and all possible means. The analyses make it possible to identify typical and atypical situations, improving preventive warnings on the Basque coast.

14:30

Impact of assimilating Mode-S observations into the Met Office global deterministic NWP model on forecast accuracy, from a European and global network

Dr Elliott Warren
Weather scientist
UK Met Office
UK
Wind and temperature mode selective enhanced surveillance aircraft estimates over Europe were assimilated into the Met Office global deterministic unified model. RMSE of wind, geopotential height and temperature reduced in Europe and the northern hemisphere. Careful consideration of thinning settings are required given the high density of this data.

Poster session for Topics 4, 5 and 6
14:45 - 15:15

PANEL DISCUSSION SESSION 3: Evolving measurement requirements for WMO priorities (EW4AII, G3W, GBON, RBON and WIGOS vision)
15:45 - 17:00

Drinks Reception
17:00 - 18:00

Day 4: Thursday, September 26

Topic 6: Capacity development for sustainable and quality measurements
09:00 - 15:00

09:00

The benefits of a standardised technical specification for automatic weather station design and installation

David Hiscock
Engineering manager
UK Met Office
UK
The design and installation of an automatic weather station (AWS) is a significant and complex task. This presentation aims to describe the framework of a technical design specification, which is used by the Met Office as a single point of reference for national met service teams and third-party contractors. It will introduce the structure and key elements of the technical design specification and highlight the benefits leading to an efficient process for deploying an AWS.

09:15

Field evaluation 3D-Printed Automatic Weather Stations (3D-PAWS) in Türkiye

Engin Öztürk
Acting head of regional centers
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Türkiye
The 3D-PAWS initiative brings together local meteorological organizations to independently fabricate, deploy and operate automatic weather stations at an affordable operational cost. Expanding observation networks with 3D meteorological stations will provide capacity development on observation networks, reducing weather-related risks, filling gaps in developing countries and supporting WMO Early Warnings for All initiative. This presentation will provide an overview of the 3D-PAWS evaluation of data quality at TSMS.

09:30

Development and application of microclimate observation network in Hong Kong

Dr Dick Ho-ming Leung
Scientific officer
Hong Kong Observatory
Hong Kong, China
In 2007, the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) spearheaded the establishment of a network of ‘amateur’ automatic weather stations (AWS) featuring compact weather sensors. In recent years, members of the public have called for weather forecasts with higher spatial resolution, not only down to the regional level but possibly even to the street level. Responding to these needs, in 2017 HKO began setting up microclimate stations in urban areas of Hong Kong to monitor, analyze and study urban microclimates. This presentation details the development history and evolution of the sensors in HKO’s microclimate observation network. Applications of microclimate temperature data in weather monitoring and forecasting will also be demonstrated.

09:45

Sustainable and quality measurements for answering AFOLU emission challenges regarding NDCs in Colombia

Dr Edwin Cristancho-Pinilla
Scientific advisor of the general director
Instituto Nacional de Metrología - Colombia
Colombia
Confidence in declarations regarding nationally determined contributions (NDCs), public or private environmental responsibilities and sustainable products is a challenge for quality infrastructure, including metrology and standards, together with monitoring, reporting and verification arrangements. The presentation proposes to build confidence in competition and cooperation among quality infrastructure actors.

10:00

Provision of AWS training - lessons learnt

Andrew Harper
Principal technician - climate
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
New Zealand
This presentation shares some experiences and lessons learned in the provision of training in AWS operation and maintenance in the Pacific’s vast and diverse environment, and some pragmatic strategies that are emerging on the ground to help support the ongoing operation and maintenance of AWS, and ensure data collection and secure data management will continue into the future. 

10:45

Standardization of first-mile data collection in China

Dr Dongdong Chen
Chief of the intelligent ground observation team and head of ground meteorological observation of CMA
Chinese Meteorological Administration
China
China developed the Meteorological Observation Data-dictionary (MOD) standard for first-mile data collection from automatic observing stations. MOD combines the characteristics of Chinese meteorological observation development while incorporating and optimizing features of BUFR encoding, enabling self-descriptive, convenient and categorized encoding for observation, instrument status and metadata. Widely implemented in China’s meteorological network, MOD received positive feedback at the WMO workshop on first-mile standardization.

11:00

Capacity-building challenge in a fast-changing climate and technology environment in developing countries

Esther Nakiwala Kigongo
Assistant lecturer
National Meteorological Training School
Uganda
In the fast-changing technological environment, new requirements arise due to evolving needs for effective, timely weather monitoring, thus overwhelming the existing technical capacity of national meteorological training institutions in developing countries. The proposal highlights some challenges and suggests recommendations for sustainable capacity development.

11:15

SINARAME – a brief review of the development history of the Argentine weather radar network

Federico Pablo Renolfi
Senior radar system engineer and weather radar expert
INVAP
Argentina
This paper will review the development of the Argentine weather radar and the SINARAME network. It will present the principal challenges faced and milestones achieved, along with key performance indicators from Argentina’s national weather service that show the evolution of the early warning system during the last 10 years.

11:30

Integrated low-cost radar sensor for snow height measurement: prototype and complete winter season measurements

Victor Herráiz-López
Researcher, department of applied physics
University of Zaragoza
Spain
We present a new snowpack height sensor based on a 120GHz ultra-wideband (6GHz) FMCW radar, enabling high-resolution measurements even in harsh environmental conditions. We demonstrate its effectiveness with data collected over an entire winter season and discuss its potential for inferring snowpack surface wetness.

11:45

Commissioning of 10 x-band SSPA-based Doppler weather radars in the Himalayan region of India

Arpita Rastogi
Scientist, upper air instruments division (UAID)
India Meteorological Department
India
Weather over the Himalayan region is a complex interaction of synoptic and mesoscale forcing interacting with terrain. Considering this, and to fill the gap areas in hilly regions, the India Meteorological Department has recently installed 10 x-band Doppler weather radars (DWR) at crucial sites in states/union territories, namely Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Delhi. Installation of these radars has considerably helped the monitoring of extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall, snowstorms and thunderstorms and enabled the issuance of timely warnings and advisories, helping to mitigate the impact of these events on communities and infrastructure.

12:00

A comparison of daily rainfall measurements at Irish stations: Pluvio weighing rain gauge versus manual gauge

Tony O'Leary
Principal meteorological officer and observations division surface network manager
Met Éireann
Ireland
As part of the automation of the climate monitoring network for Ireland, Met Éireann compared the Pluvio rain gauge with a standard Mk2 5in manual rain gauge at 15 sites around Ireland over multiple years. A significant under-catch on the part of the Pluvio was observed at all stations – around 3% of daily rainfall totals. Installing a windshield at one station had a limited effect on performance.

13:45

WMO guide to operational weather radar best practices - first edition

Dr Daniel Michelson
Research manager, high impact weather research, meteorological research division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Canada
The Expert Team on Operational Weather Radar (ET-OWR) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has completed seven of eight volumes of its Operational Guide to Weather Radar Best Practices (BPG). The scope addressed in this first edition comprises the end to end of a complete weather radar system, starting with the planning and sustainable resourcing of a national weather radar program, ending with a radar-based quantitative precipitation estimate (QPE), and including standardized data representation and international exchange.

14:00

Specifications for solid-state transmitter weather radars

Pekka Utela
Head of application management, weather radars
Vaisala
Finland
This presentation discusses how solid-state technology differs from traditional magnetron and klystron technologies, both in theory and practice. Impact of the new technology on radar specifications is examined in detail, and the presentation will suggest methods for defining objective, performance-based specifications, which consider the special characteristics of solid-state technology.

14:15

Advancing methods for monitoring thermal balance of sea ice during the North Pole-41 expedition 2022/2024 based on Lagrangian profiling buoys

Dr Vasily Smolyanitsky
Leading scientist - head of laboratory
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Russian Federation
This presentation describes preliminary results from a distributed network (DN) of Marlin-Yug temperature profiling buoys operated by the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute's North Pole-41 expedition from October 2022 to May 2024, with the ice-strengthened vessel North Pole as the central point. The DN and observations are similar to those of the MOSAiC 2019-2020 expedition and the YOPP special observing periods and aim to cover the WIGOS gaps in the Eurasian Arctic. Sea ice temperature profile variability and derived parameters are described based on near bi-seasonal freeze-thaw observations, complemented by technical details of buoy deployment and lifetime.

14:30

Observation comparison and mutual verification of the integrated air-surface system for Fengyun meteorological satellite

Dr Peng Zhang
Director-general
Meteorological Observation Center, China Meteorological Administration
China
This presentation introduces the ground-based weather radar and space-based weather radar in China. CMA began to build a new-generation Chinese weather radar in 1990. Today, there are 252 new-generation weather radars in China, including 135 S-band and 117 C-band. Meanwhile, CMA launched its first precipitation mission, named FY-3G, in April 2023. The radar measurements from the ground and space enhance the ability to monitor severe weather.

15:00 - Closing of TECO-2024