WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION WORLD WEATHER WATCH TWENTY-FIRST STATUS REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION 2003 I WMO-No. 957 I Secretariat of the World Meteorological Organization - Geneva - Switzerland © 2003, World Meteorological Organization ISBN 92-63-10957-5 NOTE The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the World Meteorological Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation ofits frontiers or boundaries. CONTENTS Page FOREWORD............................................................................................................................................................ v FORTY YEARS OF WWW.................................................................................................................................... 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARy............ 5 CHAPTER I- INTRODUCTION 7 Purpose and scope of the WWW Programme 7 Components of the WWW system..... 7 Organization ofWWW programmes '" 7 Relationship ofWWW with other programmes 8 CHAPTER 11- THE GLOBAL OBSERVING SYSTEM 9 Requirements for observational data.......................................................................................................................... 9 Implementation of the surface-based subsystem........................................................................................................ 9 Upper-air observations 10 Climatological observations.... 12 Marine meteorological observations 15 Aircraft meteorological observations '" 15 Other observation stations/systems 16 The space-based subsystem........................................................................................................................................ 16 Implementation goals for satellite receivers... 17 Quality of observational data 18 Upper-air data quality................................................................................................................................................. 19 Land-surface data quality 19 Marine surface data quality 19 AMDAR data quality 21 CHAPTER III - THE GLOBAL TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND WWW DATA MANAGEMENT: INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND SERVICES 23 Global Telecommunication System......... 23 Main Telecommunication Network............................................................................................................................ 23 Regional Meteorological Telecommunication Networks................. 23 Multipoint telecommunication services via satellite and radiobroadcasts 31 Data-communication techniques and procedures....................................................................................................... 32 World Weather Watch data management............ 32 Radio frequencies for meteorological activities.......................... 32 iv CONTENTS CHAPTER IV - THE GLOBAL DATA-PROCESSING SYSTEM 33 RSMCs with geographical specialization 33 RSMCs with activity specialization 33 Medium-range weather forecasting............................................................................................................................ 33 Tropical cyclone forecasting ,. 34 Provision of transport model products for environmental emergency responses........... 42 NMCs and centres with similar functions........ 42 Verification of numerical weather prediction.. 42 Technical development at GDPS centres 45 CHAPTER V- STATUS OF THE AVAILABILITY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA FROM WWW............... 47 Results of the analysis 47 Analysis of the availability of SYNOP reports 51 Analysis of the availability ofParts A ofTEMP reports............................................................................................. 53 Analysis of the availability ofreports from mobile stations 55 CHAPTER VI - OPERATIONAL INFORMATION SERVICE....................................................................... 57 Available information................................................................................................................................................. 57 ANNEXES Annex I- Acronyms 59 Annex II - References 61 FOREWORD This year we commemorate the 40th anniversary ofWMO's World Weather Watch 0l'fWW) Programme. In April 1963, the Fourth World Meteorological Congress approved the concept ofthe WWW, and set WMO on the journey that dramatically changed and enhanced the development ofmeteorology and the atmospheric sciences. The challenge laid down 40 years ago has resulted in a unique success story ofinternational cooperation and opportunity. The basic systems - comprising the provision ofbasic meteo­ rological data and products, telecommunication services and the management thereof - are the pillars for the delivery of meteorological services worldwide, and have become in many ways the 'core' operational facility on which almost all programmes ofWMO and other relevant international agencies depend. The challenge continues, as increasing technological advancement will place further requirements on the basic systems and require continuous adjustment. This publication is the 21st in a series of biannual reports on the status of implementation ofWWW. It was designed mainly to inform the senior management of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) - but also those from academia and the private sector who may be interested - of the operational status ofWWW. It provides information concerning the structure, status and trends of the implementation, as well as performance of the core components of WWW, notably the Global Observing System (GOS), the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) and the Global Data-processing System (GDPS). A special introductory chapter for this anniversary edition gives a brief look at WWW's achievements during the past 40 years. Some parts of this publication have been compacted from detailed information and reports made available by Members to the Commission for Basic Systems (CBS) and the working groups of the Regional Associations (RAs) dealing with WWW. I wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to the Members ofWMO for their continuing efforts to­ wards the consolidated further development of WWW, as well as their collaboration in providing the information on which this report is based. _-==c=~- - ~------ G. O. P. Obasi (Secretary-General) YEARS OF WORLD WEATHER WATCH 1963-2003 INTRODUCTION had increased to 222 circuits. The first circuit upgrade from the initial low telegraphic speed was in 1970, when WWW was conceived 40 years ago, when the leaders of the Washington-Tokyo circuit was upgraded to 2400 the world meteorological community had a vision of bits/sec. Since then, telecommunications advances have international cooperation on an unprecedented scale, continued at a rapid rate and many GTS circuits are now and the will to implement it. No other activity has done implemented with high-speed communications links, more to advance our understanding of the atmosphere including satellite- and Internet-based services. or the science and practice of meteorology than WWW. Regional Basic Synoptic Networks (RBSNs) were It has been possible because of the work and commit­ established in the early 1960s as the core part of the Global ment of people and governments of all nations. Observing System (GaS). The GaS provides observational National meteorological services (NMSs) and meteoro­ data from all parts of the world for use in both operational logical centers of excellence have shared skills and and research work. In 1963, the RBSN included 3780 expertise, working in a spirit of cooperation which stations, which had increased to 3957 by 2002. WWW has fostered and which it carries into the future. Over the past 40 years, the total number of surface synoptic stations reported to WMO as implemented ACHIEVEMENTS increased from almost 8000 stations in 1963 to 10 952 stations in 2002. Figure 1 shows this growth during the One of the notable early achievements of WWW was the period 1964-2002. development and implementation of the Global During the same period, the number of upper-air Telecommunication System (GTS). The original WWW Plan stations implemented has increased from around 800 in envisioned the GTS serving three World Meteorological 1963 to a number fluctuating between 900 and 1000 Centres (WMCs), 21 Regional Meteorological Centres over the last decade. The number of observations (RMCs) (now Regional Telecommunication Hubs (RTHs» received from the upper-air network, however, has not and 147 National Meteorological Centres (NMCs). Today, remained so stable. It declined during the 1990s and has there are three WMCs, 32 RTHs and 185 NMCs. recovered again since 2000. The number of observations The original GTS plan reqUired 247 circuits. By received stabilized in the last three years at somewhat 1976, 196 circuits had been established. By 2002, this below 1050 reports daily (Figure 2). 14000 12000 <Il 10000 c o -- --- - --- - - ------- ~ 8000 - '0 - Ji 6000 E :3 Z r: 4000 2000 l Figure 1 - Surface synoptic o station implementation 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 during the period Year 1964-2002 2 WORLD WEATHER WATCH - TWENlY-FIRST STATUS REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION 1400 1200 -- - ..... (/) - "W"" c: 1000 -r .Qro --- 2: <1> 800 (/) .a 0 '0 600 ~ .a E z'" 400 200 Figure 2 - Daily average 0 number of upper-air reports 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 received during the IS-day Year