WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
________________
MEETING OF EXPERT TEAM ON DATA
REPRESENTATION AND CODES
MUSCAT, 5-8 DECEMBER 2005
ET/DR&C/Doc. 2.2 (7)
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(1.XII.2005)
ENGLISH ONLY
Additional parameters for the UV Index
Submitted by the Japan Meteorological Agency
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Summary and Purpose of Document
This document contains a proposal on an amendment to the Code table 4.1 of
GRIB Edition 2.
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ACTION PROPOSED
The meeting is invited to examine the proposal with a view to submitting it to the
next CBS for approval.
- A.1 -
Background
The Global Solar Ultraviolet Index (UVI) forecasting has already been implemented in many
countries. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has been also providing the UVI through its
web page, which is a simple measure of the UV radiation level at the Earth’s surface and an
indicator of the potential for skin damage. Two UVI under different conditions are produced,
because the UVI depends on cloud. One is produced on the assumption that there is no cloud
and the other is calculated in accordance with forecasted cloud.
The UVI was developed in an international effort by the World Health Organization (WHO) in
collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation
Protection (ICNIRP). ("Global Solar UV Index, A Practical Guide", 2002.)
PROPOSAL
Add new parameters as follows:
Code table 4.2, Product discipline 0 - Meteorological products, parameter category 4: short-wave
radiation
Number
50
51
Parameter
UV index (under clear sky)
UV index
Units
Numeric
Numeric