Rainage Annual Report 2010 Annual Report 2010 Report Annual Rainage 2010 Annual Report Table of Contents FOREWORD. 4 2010 SIGNIFICANT EVENTS . 6 METEO FRANCE, A SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTE . 10 1 - THE METEOROLOGICAL SAFETY MISSION . 17 From weather “vigilance” to crisis management . 18 Managing fl ood risk and water resources . 21 Meteorology to support Defence missions . 22 2 - METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR AIR NAVIGATION . 23 Météo-France, a service provider for the French airspace . 24 Airfi eld and airport services . 27 Rationalisation of the “en route” service in the FABEC perspective . 27 Research and development with SESAR . 28 3 - COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY . 29 Meteorological services adapted to individual needs and accessible at all times . .31 Customised services for businesses and professionals . 32 Météo-France’s subsidiaries. 34 4 - TRAINING STAFF AND TEACHING METEOROLOGY, . 35 INFORMING, AND DISSEMINATING DATA Training staff and teaching meteorology . 36 Disseminating science and meteorological data . .37 Providing broad information on meteorology . 38 5 - FORECASTING . 39 Towards a reorganization of the forecasting services . 40 The operational numerical forecasting . 41 Nowcasting. 44 2 METEO FRANCE | 2010 ANNUAL REPORT 6 - UNDERSTANDING THE PAST AND FUTURE CLIMATE . 45 Climate memory . 46 Climate scenarios for the future and research within the IPCC framework . 49 7 - THE RESEARCH MISSION . 51 The development of numerical forecasting systems . 52 Experimental resources and development of measurement techniques . .53 International fi eld experiments to improve forecasting . 54 8 - OBSERVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURES . .57 Surface observation . 58 Meteorological radar networks . 60 The development of key infrastructures . 62 9 - OUR INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION . 63 The World Meteorological Organization . 64 Cooperation with European bodies and organizations . 66 The other multilateral and bilateral cooperation . 68 10 - THE LIFE OF THE INSTITUTE . 69 A development strategy to answer scientifi c,. 70 economic and environmental stakes Administrative and fi nancial organization . 72 at the service of the institute’s projects Commitment to an exemplary human resource policy. 74 An institute that cares for its service quality . 76 and its environmental footprint 11 - APPENDICES . 77 Glossary of initial, acronyms and abbreviations . 78 Météo-France’s scientifi c advisory committee . 80 Météo-France’s board of governors . 81 The year in review . 83 3 Foreword In 2010, a non-standard meteorological year, we experienced a succession of critical events: storm Xynthia, exceptional rains and fl ooding in the Var Département then in the Gard Département, repeated heavy snows, eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjöll which caused upheavals to air traffi c over several weeks. Faced with conditions that sometimes exceeded the limits of the state of the art in forecasting, Météo-France remained on a preparedness status in order to anticipate any changes in the meteorological conditions, to provide the authorities and the population with all necessary warnings, and to contribute in the crisis management. Strong de- mands were made on the staff which fulfi lled its role with rigour and professionalism. More than ever, Météo-France reaffi rmed its image as a permanently committed national meteorological service, combining scientifi c competence and operational expertise for the benefi t of all. The aftermath of some of the meteorological disasters has certainly been very painful. It could nonetheless be said that the considerable progress accomplished by weather forecasting over the last 10 years, as well as the pertinence of the warning systems implemented under the aegis of Météo-France, have contributed to reduce their effects. In the light of these experiences, ways of progress that should quickly bear fruit were placed in evidence to further improve the alert chain, enhance vigilance and the issuance of warnings, and encourage research on small scale phenomena forecasting. Throughout 2010, Météo-France also pursued a major effort to evolve. Its strategy is clear: developing research, maintaining infrastructure excellence, further improving production quality. 4 METEO FRANCE | 2010 ANNUAL REPORT Foreword An internal reorganization, launched in 2009, seeks to simplify current working methods and to free up resources in order to concentrate on challenges for the fu- ture. To this effect, 2010 saw the development of major projects aimed, in particular, at: implementing updated tools for forecasters, promoting advisory forecasting as a users’ service, improving forecasting for the aeronautics as a contribution to the Single European Sky process, rationalising the observation system. Within the scope of these changes, the reorganization of the local offi ces has been initiated to end up in a smaller scope, in which each location will be endowed with real critical size, while still offering the densest meteorological network in Europe. This major change will be one of the Météo-France’s keys for success in the years to come. Thus, although it was confronted with repeated meteorological crises, Météo-France has always remained available for bringing its assistance to all stakeholders, including authorities and citizens, while pursuing its own evolution and preparing for the future. More than ever, Météo-France’s ambition is to remain the reference national meteorolo- gical service, at the service of all citizens. François Jacq Chief Executive Offi cer 5 2010 SIGNIFICANT EVENTS > 2010 SIGNIFICANT EVENTS Flooding at La Rochelle in Charente-Maritime after the passage of storm Xynthia in February 2010. © Météo-France, La Rochelle CDM (Meteorological Centre) CDM (Meteorological Rochelle La © Météo-France, A particularly severe year in the area of personal and property safety In 2010, France was struck by a large num- The heavy human casualties of the fl ooding asso- ber of severe weather events with dramatic ciated with Xynthia (53 casualties in Vendée and consequences: windstorm Xynthia, accompa- Charente-Maritime) and with rainstorms (23 casual- nied, on the littoral, by exceptional storm sur- ties at Draguignan) were a stark reminder of the ges that brought about catastrophic fl ooding on need for a better knowledge of the vulnerability 27 and 28 February; rainstorms that generated of the territories exposed to different potential severe fl ooding, in particular on 15 June in the types of fl ood risk. It also points out the conco- Var Départment, then on 6 and 7 September in mitant necessity to continuously improve war- Languedoc and in Provence; frequent episodes ning systems, such as the vigilance, as far as it of snow and extreme cold spells affecting most is enabled by the state of the art in meteorologi- of mainland France during the months of January cal, hydrological and oceanographic forecasting. and February, then in November and December. In 2011, Météo-France will pursue the work under- In this context, with red or orange vigilance war- taken with its partners in order to quickly imple- nings declared for 118 days in the year, Météo-France ment a “waves – storm surge” vigilance system was strongly solicited to ensure effective forecas- in coastal regions and to develop a warning sys- ting of dangerous meteorological situations and tem at an infra-Département scale for areas to bring appropriate assistance to the security presenting a strong risk of fl ash fl ooding. services and the crisis management operators. During the same period, the Overseas Territories were not really spared as two tropical cyclones, Oli and Tomas, affected French Polynesia, Earl, Fiona and a new Tomas swept over the Antilles, while Igor caused record rains and winds in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. 6 METEO FRANCE | 2010 ANNUAL REPORT Eruption of Eyjafjöll in Iceland on 8 May 2010: turbulent gas and fi ne ash columns rise above the volcano. © P. Allard © P. Volcanic ash from the Eyjafjöll eruption Tens of thousands of cancelled fl ights, millions greater heights to take off again. The European Union of travellers stranded for over one week – and all gradually reopened its airspace, but traffi c remai- because of the ash cloud resulting from an eruption ned disturbed for another two weeks before being of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjöll that paralysed the completely restored to normality. The International European airspace. Air Transport Association has estimated the fi nan- cial loss suffered by airlines at more than one billion The eruption started on 20 March 2010. However, on Euros. 14 April, the lava caused a signifi cant meltdown of the ice covering the volcano, which brought about Chapter 2 restates the activities of Météo-France violent fl oods and the formation of a huge volcanic which, over the entire duration of this episode, was plume. The fl oods destroyed a large number of dwel- placed on duty 24 hours a day as the back-up of the lings and infrastructures in Iceland. Almost 50 million London Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) and to cubic meters of ash were ejected into the atmos- give assistance to the national authorities in charge phere on a daily basis. But, these particles, which of this crisis management. Thanks to its staff’s contain a substantial proportion of silica, also consti- intense activity, the institute participated in the crisis tute a danger for aircraft. They can, in particular, management effort by producing transport and ash cause the engines to stop. The plume was pushed dispersion forecasts and by involving the research.