WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION RA V/TCC-XIII/Doc. 7(2) (22.IV.2010) ___________________________ ______________ RA V TROPICAL CYCLONE COMMITTEE FOR THE SOUTH PACIFIC AND SOUTH-EAST INDIAN OCEAN ITEM 7 THIRTEENTH SESSION BALI, INDONESIA, 26 TO 29 APRIL 2010 ENGLISH ONLY STORM SURGE ADVISORY ARRANGEMENTS INTEGRATED STORM SURGE WATCH SCHEME (Submitted by the Secretariat) Summary and Purpose of Document This document provides background information related to the development of an integrated Storm Surge Watch Scheme ACTION PROPOSED The Tropical Cyclone Committee is invited to: (a) Review and comment on the activities carried out within the Storm Surge Watch Scheme under both the general and regional components since its Twelfth Session (Alofi, Niue, 11 – 17 July 2008); (b) Offer proposals for new projects, particularly those related to the regional implementation of the scheme; ___________ Appendix: Recommendation 6 of the Third JCOMM session (Marrakech, November 2009) Integrated Storm Surge Watch Scheme RA V/TCC-XIII/Doc. 7(2), p. 2 Background Information 1. Following the request by the WMO Executive Council, in its sixtieth session (June 2008), to the Secretary-General, in consultation with UNESCO/IOC, to facilitate the development of storm surge watch schemes (SSWS) for regions subject to tropical cyclones, and to regional associations concerned to incorporate such schemes in the tropical cyclone advisory arrangements and in the TCP Regional Operating Plans and/or Manual, WMO has initiated, through the joint efforts of TCP and JCOMM, the development of such schemes in regions subjected to tropical cyclones. 2. The English version of the first edition of the JCOMM Guide to Storm Surge Forecasting had been prepared, and will be published and available in late 2010. 3. A community white paper on Storm Surge (http://www.oceanobs09.net/blog/?p=602) describing the results from the 1st JCOMM Scientific and Technical Symposium on Storm Surges was held in Seoul, Korea in October 2007, was presented during the Conference “OceanObs’09 : Sustained Ocean Observations and Information for Society” (Venice, September 2009). A set of actions and recommendations are proposed for the scientific, governmental and intergovernmental organizations responsible for multi-hazard marine warning systems, and quantitative requirements for Storm Surge observations and modeling are indicated. 4. The third session of JCOMM (Marrakech November 2009) requested in its 6th Recommendation (see Appendix) the collaboration between WMO Members, Regional Associations, and Experts Teams on the Integrated Storm Surge Watch Scheme. The Commission also, recommended a regional approach towards storm surges risk reduction through the implementation of demonstration projects, such as the “JCOMM/Commission for Hydrology Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project (CIFDP) for building improved operational forecasts and warnings capability and service delivery in coastal risk reduction”. The Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project (CIFDP), a multidisciplinary approach towards an integrated SSWS 5. The JCOMM/CHy Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project (CIFDP) has been initiated and a kick-off meeting held in Geneva in June 2009. The CIFDP approach towards a regional implementation of the SSWS (Fig. 1) focuses on the improvement of coastal floods forecasting and warning capacities through an enhanced collaboration between: a) Scientific disciplines forecasters involved in coastal inundations forecasting and warning systems: Tropical Cyclone Forecasters, Marine Meteorologists and Hydrologists; b) End-users and forecasters at a regional scale (e.g. NHMSs and Disaster Management and Civil protection Agencies) RA V/TCC-XIII/Doc. 7(2), p. 3 CIFDP-Proposed Scope of the Storm Surge Watch Scheme (SSWS) Regional Specialized Meteorological Centres Requirements Users Specialized Products National Meteorological and Hydrological Services International Charter "Space and Major Disasters" (activated through Civil Protection Authorities or other selected Agencies) High Resolution Images Forecasts Service Provider (e.g. UNOSAT) Forecasts and Warnings Products based on High Resolution Images and Forecasts Disaster Management and Civil Protection Authorities International and Regional Humanitarian Agencies High Resolution Images and forecasts Figure 1: Proposed scope of the CIFDP within an integrated SSWS (from CIFDP concept and outline presentation of the Secretariat, CIFDP kick-off meeting, Geneva, June 2009) 6. Upcoming events for the SSWS and the CIFDP implementation: o 18-22 May 2010, JCOMM-ETWS-III: 3rd session of JCOMM Expert Team on Wind Wave and Storm Surge in Toronto, Canada; o 2010 (second-half, TBD), CIFDP Stakeholders Workshop in Bangladesh; o 7-9 October 2010, JCOMM-ETOOFS-III, 3rd session of JCOMM Expert Team on Operational Ocean Forecasting Systems in Tokyo, Japan; o 6-10 December 2010, RA IV-TCP/MMO and Hurricane Committee Training Workshop on Storm Surge Forecasting in Dominican Republic; o 13-18 December 2010, CIFDP Stakeholders Workshop in Dominican Republic – TBC. __________________ RA V/TCC-XIII/Doc. 7(2), p. 4 APPENDIX A – RECOMMENDATION 6 OF THE JOINT WMO-IOC TECHNICAL COMMISSION FOR MARINE METEOROLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY THIRD SESSION, MARRAKECH, MARROCCO, 4-11 NOVEMBER 2009 (WMO report-No. 1049) Recommendation 6 (JCOMM-III) INTEGRATED STORM SURGE WATCH SCHEME THE JOINT WMO/IOC TECHNICAL COMMISSION FOR OCEANOGRAPHY AND MARINE METEOROLOGY, Noting: (1) The Abridged Final Report with Resolutions and Recommendations of the Second Session of the Joint WMO/IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (WMO-No. 995), general summary, paragraphs 3.4 (a) and (c), 5.1.33, 8.1.3, 11.5.11 and 11.5.15, (2) The final report of the second session of the JCOMM Expert Team on Wind Waves and Storm Surges (ETWS) (JCOMM/MR-No. 49), (3) The final report and recommendations of the JCOMM Scientific and Technical Symposium on Storm Surges (JCOMM/TR-No. 44), (4) The request by the WMO Executive Council, at its sixtieth session (Geneva, June 2008), endorsed by the forty-first session of the UNESCO/IOC Executive Council (Paris, June 2008), to implement the recommendations from the Symposium, (5) The request by the WMO Executive Council at its sixtieth session (Geneva, June 2008) to the Secretary-General of WMO, in consultation with UNESCO/IOC, to: (a) Facilitate the development of storm surge watch schemes for regions subject to tropical cyclones, and to regional associations concerned to incorporate such schemes in the tropical cyclone advisory arrangements and in the Tropical Cyclone Programme Regional Operating Plans and/or Manual, (b) Promote the participation of space agencies in the storm surge watch schemes, (c) Give high priority to these activities, Considering: (1) That storm surges, both tropical and extra-tropical, represent a major marine hazard, and result in the loss of life and property in many parts of the world on a regular basis, (2) That accurate and timely forecasts and warnings would contribute substantially to mitigating the threat to life and property from storm surges, (3) That the preparation and issuing of such forecasts and warnings is the responsibility of National Meteorological Services and/or oceanographic agencies in many countries, (4) That many such Services and agencies would benefit substantially from storm surge model enhancement, hydrological forecast information and increased data resources, including both in situ and space-based observations in the preparation of forecasts and warnings of storm surges and associated inundation, RA V/TCC-XIII/Doc. 7(2), p. 5 (5) That related activities addressing various components of an Integrated Storm Surge Watch Scheme have recently been initiated, including: (a) A JCOMM/Commission for Hydrology Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project for building improved operational forecasts and warnings capability and service delivery in coastal risk reduction, including for coastal inundation, (b) A UNESCO project on Enhancing Regional Capabilities for Coastal Hazards Forecasting and Data Portal Systems for scientific development on enhanced storm surge modelling capabilities, (c) A European Space Agency (ESA) Storm Surge Project to improve storm surge forecasting systems and applications through the innovative use of ocean, land and atmospheric satellite observations, Agrees that JCOMM should give high priority to the development of demonstration project(s) for building integrated global and regional storm surge watch schemes within a multi-hazard framework, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including with the appropriate WMO technical commissions and programmes, UNESCO/IOC subsidiary bodies, other United Nations agencies and international organizations, and that both WMO and UNESCO/IOC be involved in the storm surge watch schemes and related activities through an open and mutually-agreed workplan in this area, Requests the Expert Team on Wind Waves and Storm Surges to provide technical advice, guidance and coordination in the development of such demonstration project(s), in close collaboration with WMO regional associations, Recommends that Members/Member States support the development and implementation of the Demonstration Project(s) by providing extrabudgetary contributions to the JCOMM Trust Fund and seconding experts to work in the WMO and UNESCO/IOC Secretariats to speed up project development and implementation, Requests the Secretary-General of WMO and the Executive Secretary of UNESCO/IOC to provide adequate budgetary resources to achieve the objectives of the demonstration project(s).