ISSN 1195-8898 . BULLETINCMOS Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society SCMO La Société canadienne de météorologie et October / octobre 2008 Vol.36 No.5 d'océanographie The 1988 Toronto Conference La conférence de Toronto en 1988 CMOS Bulletin SCMO "at the service of its members / au service de ses membres" Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (CMOS) Editor / Rédacteur: Paul-André Bolduc Associate Editor / Rédactrice associée: Dorothy Neale Société canadienne de météorologie Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society et d'océanographie (SCMO) Société canadienne de météorologie et d’océanographie P.O. Box 3211, Station D Executive / Exécutif Ottawa, ON, Canada K1P 6H7 E-Mail: [email protected]; Courriel: [email protected] President / Président Andrew Bush University of Alberta, Edmonton Cover page: 27 July 2008 marked the 20th anniversary of Tel.: 780-492-0351; Fax: 780-492-2030 E-mail/Courriel: [email protected] an important international conference hosted by Canada in Toronto and entitled The Changing Atmosphere: Vice-President / Vice-président Implications for Global Security. The Conference was Bill Crawford attended by more than 300 scientists and policy-makers DFO / Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney from 46 countries. The Conference outlined the need to take Tel.: 250-363-6369 action to reduce the impending crisis caused by pollution of E-mail/Courriel: [email protected] the atmosphere. To learn more on this 20th anniversary, please read the article on page 159. The photo shows the Past-President / Président ex-officio Environment Canada Group, headed by Howard Ferguson, Dr. Paul G. Myers that organized this seminal event. University of Alberta, Edmonton Tel.: 780-492-6706; Fax: 780-492-2030 E-mail/Courriel: [email protected] Page couverture: Le 27 juillet 2008 marque le 20e anniversaire d’une importante conférence internationale Treasurer / Trésorier organisée par le Canada à Toronto et intitulée L’atmosphère Ron Hopkinson en évolution: implications pour la sécurité du globe. Plus de Custom Climate Services, Regina 300 scientifiques et décideurs venant de 46 pays différents Tel.: 306-586-5489; Fax: 306-586-5489 ont assisté aux débats de la Conférence. La Conférence a E-mail/Courriel: [email protected] mis-en-lumière la nécessité de prendre des mesures immédiates pour atténuer la crise imminente qu’entraînera Corresponding Secretary / Secrétaire-correspondant la pollution de l’atmosphère. Pour en apprendre plus sur ce Bob Kochtubajda e Environment Canada, Edmonton 20 anniversaire, prière de lire l’article en page 159. La Tel.: 780-951-8811; Fax: 780-951-8634 photo illustre Howard Ferguson à ta tête du groupe E-mail/Courriel: [email protected] organisateur d’Environnement Canada qui a géré cet événement déclencheur. Recording Secretary / Secrétaire d'assemblée Bill Hume, Edmonton Tel.: 780-989-4103 E-mail/Courriel: [email protected] CMOS Executive Office / Bureau de la SCMO Councillors-at-large / Conseillers P.O. Box 3211, Station D 1)Brad Shannon Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1P 6H7 Environment Canada, Calgary Fax / Fascimilé: 613-990-1617 Tel.: 403-299-3534; homepage: http://www.cmos.ca E-mail/Courriel: [email protected] page d’accueil: http://www.scmo.ca 2) Kent Johnson Dr. Ian Rutherford Environment Canada, Kelowna Executive Director - Directeur exécutif Tel.: 604-763-3532 Tel/Tél.: 613-990-0300 E-mail/Courriel: [email protected] E-mail/Courriel: [email protected] 3) John Parker Dr. Richard Asselin Environment Canada, Halifax Director of / Directeur des Publications Tel.: 902-426-5363 Tel/Tél.: 613-991-0151 E-mail/Courriel: [email protected] E-mail/Courriel: [email protected] Ms. Qing Liao Office Manager - Chef de bureau Tel/Tél.: 613-991-4494 E-mail/Courriel: [email protected] -ii- ....from the President’s Desk Volume 36 No.5 October 2008 — Octobre 2008 Friends and colleagues: Inside / En Bref from the President’s desk Allocution du président by/par Andy Bush page 149 Highlights of Recent CMOS Meetings page 150 Correspondence / Correspondance page 151 Articles Pen Portrait - W.E.K. Middleton by Andrew Overton and Ian Strangeways page 154 Twentieth Anniversary of the Toronto Conference on Our Changing Atmosphere: Implications Andy Bush for Global Security by H.L. Ferguson page 159 President of CMOS / Président de la SCMO Correcting the Wind Bias in Snowfall I hope that everyone had an enjoyable and productive Measurements Made with a Geonor T-200B summer. For many of us, with term about to begin and Precipitation Gauge and Alter Wind Shield teaching duties looming, this is a very busy time of the year. by Craig D. Smith page 162 And, as Paul Myers has warned me, this is also the time An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Double when presidential duties escalate. Alter Wind Shield for Increasing the Catch Efficiency of the Geonor T-200B Precipitation Over the summer I have been in contact with the presidents Gauge by Stephanie Watson, Craig Smith, of both the American Meteorological Society (Walter Marvin Lassi and Joe Misfeldt page 168 Dabberdt) and the American Geophysical Union (Michael McPhaden). The AMS is seeking our participation at their Our regular sections / Nos chroniques régulières congress in Phoenix, Arizona in January, 2009. They are trying to develop coordination and communication amongst CMOS Business / Affaires de la SCMO page 176 the ~65 meteorological societies around the world in order to promote a united front on issues such as public In Memoriam page 182 statements, education and outreach, and publication practices. I think this is a great initiative and am a strong Book Review / Revue de littérature page 184 proponent of CMOS participation. Short News / Nouvelles brèves page 186 The AGU is also eager to coordinate future congresses CMOS Accredited Consultants / with CMOS, and we are in contact with their meeting Experts-conseils accrédités de la SCMO page 188 organizer. Although this initiative is long-term (since meetings are typically already in the planning stage two Printed in Kanata, Ontario, by Gilmore Printing Services Inc. Imprimé sous les presses de Gilmore Printing Services Inc., Kanata, years in advance) I believe that building stronger ties with Ontario. the AGU and coordinating with them either joint congresses or, if not possible, then preventing any scheduling conflicts This publication is produced under the authority of the Canadian between respective meetings will prove to be beneficial. Meteorological and Oceanographic Society. Except where explicitly stated, opinions expressed in this publication are those Our journal, ATMOSPHERE-OCEAN, continues to produce of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the Society. high quality articles and we have a number of excellent special issues lined up over the next couple of years. Cette publication est produite sous la responsabilité de la Société canadienne de météorologie et d’océanographie. À moins d’avis Finally, I'd like to wish everybody a productive fall and contraire, les opinions exprimées sont celles des auteurs et ne extend my thanks to everybody serving on the CMOS reflètent pas nécessairement celles de la Société. executive. CMOS exists for the advancement of meteorology Andy Bush and oceanography in Canada. President / Président Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society Le but de la SCMO est de stimuler l'intérêt pour la Société canadienne de météorologie et d’océanographie météorologie et l'océanographie au Canada. -149- CMOS Bulletin SCMO Vol.36, No.5 Highlights of Recent CMOS Meetings URGENT - URGENT - URGENT - URGENT June Executive Meeting Next Issue CMOS Bulletin SCMO # Discussion of Kelowna 2008 congress budget and Next issue of the CMOS Bulletin SCMO will be published participation; in December 2008. Please send your articles, notes, workshop reports or news items before November 7, # Update on upcoming congresses in Halifax 2009 and 2008 to the address given on page ii. We have an Ottawa 2010; URGENT need for your written contributions. # Discussion about initiating more dialogue with the American Geophysical Union; Prochain numéro du CMOS Bulletin SCMO # Announcement of a new letter to Prime Minister Harper, drafted by Gordon McBean and containing a large Le prochain numéro du CMOS Bulletin SCMO paraîtra number of CMOS signatories, concerning Canadian en décembre 2008. Prière de nous faire parvenir avant action on climate change (Ref.: CMOS Bulletin SCMO, le 7 novembre 2008 vos articles, notes, rapports Vol.36, No.4, p.117); d’atelier ou nouvelles à l’adresse indiquée à la page ii. Nous avons un besoin URGENT de vos contributions # Adjournment for the summer ! écrites. Andy Bush, CMOS President Président de la SCMO CMOS Bulletin SCMO Vol.36, No.5 -150- Correspondence / Correspondance He spearheaded many research projects that have not only served to advance knowledge, but also enabled Canada to From: George W. Robertson play a leading role in international efforts to fight climatic CMOS Member, Ottawa Centre change. To: Editor, CMOS Bulletin SCMO Over the past 45 years, Dr. Desjardins has passed on to his colleagues his enthusiasm and determination to understand Date: June 20, 2008 and learn agriculture’s impact on the atmosphere. Throughout his career he has been a mentor to many young Subject: Public Service Awards of Excellence Canadians and foreign researchers. During the afternoon of June 16, 2008, I had the good Dr. Desjardins is admired for his originality, his influence fortune to attend the presentation of the Public Service and the quality of his research. Awards of Excellence at the Hilton Lac Leamy Hotel and Conference Centre in Gatineau, Québec. Among the 40 Dr. Paul Joe recipients two CMOS members received awards. Environment Canada, Toronto, ON. It occurred to me that CMOS members would like to Dr. Joe’s innovations have placed Canada as a world leader congratulate Dr. Raymond Desjardins and Dr. Paul Joe on in using radar systems for determining and predicting high- receiving this coveted award and wish them well in their impact and severe weather.