WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
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EC Panel of Experts on Polar Observations,
Research and Services
EC-PORS-ATT2 / Doc. 4.6.1
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Date: 06 February 2014
AGENDA ITEM: 4.6
Antarctic Task Team Meeting
Original: ENGLISH
Wellington, New Zealand
24 February 2014
WMO REGULATORY MATERIAL
MANUAL ON THE GLOBAL DATA-PROCESSING AND FORECASTING SYSTEM
(Submitted by the WMO Secretariat)
DECISIONS/ACTIONS REQUIRED:
The Task team is invited to consider the comprehensive revision of the Manual on the
Global Data-Processing and Forecasting System (GDPFS)
CONTENT OF DOCUMENT:
Status report: Manual on the GDPFS (WMO-No. 485)
EC-PORS-ATT2 / Doc. 4.6.1, p. 2
BACKGROUND
1.
The Manual on the Global Data-Processing and Forecasting System (GDPFS) (WMO-No.
485) is the single source of technical regulations for all operational data-processing and
forecasting systems operated by WMO Members, including their designated meteorological
centres, as well as those designated in close cooperation with a WMO technical commission.
Following the request by the Commission for Basic Systems (CBS-14, 2009), considerable
progress has been made with the comprehensive revision of the Manual on the GDPFS, including
first the development of an outline for a new Manual, which was adopted by the World
Meteorological Congress (Cg-16, May 2011) in Resolution 6 (Section 3.1.3/2). In addition, Cg-16
agreed that the revised Manual on the GDPFS would facilitate introducing updates as frequently
as required (to ensure that the content is kept up-to-date), and will as well reflect the future
evolution of the GDPFS, taking account of the developments in WIGOS and WIS, and lessons
learnt from the Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project (SWFDP) to enhance the
data-processing and forecasting functions of Members. The new Manual would be developed in
accordance with quality management principles, which ensure its sustainability as part of the
WMO Quality Management Framework.
2.
The new Manual has been fully drafted through close collaboration between the Secretariat
and numerous subject experts from any programme areas of WMO. It includes all and only the
technical regulatory materials of the current Manual (WMO-No. 485, Update 2013), thus
incorporated amendments recommended at CBS-15 (2012); which can be found at:
http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/DPFS/Manual/documents/485_Vol_I_en.pdf).
A final review is
required prior to its submission to the upcoming extraordinary session of CBS (CBS-Ext.(14),
September 2014), and further consideration (approval) by Cg-17 in 2015. A small CBS Task
Team (TT) on the Revision of the Manual on the GDPFS has been the main driving force behind
this important work. The TT recently met in December 2013. The report of the meeting can be
found at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/CBS-Reports/documents/TT-Manual_Final_Report.pdf.
The current version of the draft revised Manual on the GDPFS, still a working document, can be
found at:
http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/DPFS/Meetings/TT-MANUAL_Geneva2013/documents/RevisedManual-Dec2013.zip
REGIONAL ASPECTS – Antarctic Activities
3.
The Volume I of the Manual of the GDPFS, sub-titled: “Global Aspects”, forms part of the
Technical Regulations of WMO (Annex IV), while Volume II of the Manual is sub-titled: “Regional
Aspects” and is not part of the Technical Regulations of WMO.
4.
Volume II, which includes separate chapters for each of the Regional Associations and a
chapter on “The Antarctic”, had not been maintained by the Regional Association for some years,
and is discontinued and the relevant sections will now be incorporated in the new Manual following
the request by Cg-16 (2011). As requested by EC-PORS, activities related to Polar Regions will
be included in the new Manual, as one of the additional activities of WMO Members, and to
possibly include the designation and specifications of the activity of RSMC(s) for polar regions.
Please see the meeting report of the CBS TT, on page 29.
Volume II can be found at:
http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/DPFS/Manual/documents/485_Vol_II_en.pdf
SUGGESTION
Should the Polar Prediction Programme be considering the possibility of specifying operational
structures or monitoring, data-processing and forecasting functions, particularly in conjunction with
the designation of regional roles, or centre(s), close collaboration with CBS is strongly advised. In
the meantime, an expert could become familiar with the Manual to commence drafting revisions
and/or propose amendments.