Arctic Polar Regional Climate Centre: Requirements and capacities

Information sources WMO Survey on PRCC requirements and capabilities of February 2015 WMO request for potential national contributions to the proposed Arctic PRCC of December 2015

WMO Survey on PRCC requirements and capabilities of February 2015 For WMO RCC mandatory functions (data-, monitoring-, LRF- and training services), -> almost 70 per cent of responding Members required this activity to be performed or co-ordinated by a Polar RCC -> more than 75 per cent of responding Members indicated interest in contributing to PRCC mandatory functions For WMO RCC highly recommended functions (climate prediction and projection services, non-operational data services, co-ordination functions, capacity building and R&D), -> almost 70 per cent of responding Members required this activity to be performed or co-ordinated by a Polar RCC -> around 60 per cent of responding Members indicated interest in contributing to PRCC highly recommended functions

WMO request for potential national contributions to the proposed Arctic PRCC of December 2015 LRF activities PRCC contributions offered PRCC services to be developed Interpret GPC products Various GPC products available Generate regional tailored products Various regional/sub-regional sea-ice forecasts (mainly monthly or seasonal) Arctic LRF capability for TT, RR and other parameter to be developed (MME) Generate consensus statements Arctic RCOF and other consensus mechanisms to be developed Perform verification incl. data exchange Available for GPC products Verification system to be developed for regional LRF Provide on-line access to services Largely available for above existing services To be developed for new products and services Facilitate user feedback Assumed to be in place for above existing services To be considered for new products and services

WMO request for potential national contributions to the proposed Arctic PRCC of December 2015 Climate monitoring activities PRCC contributions offered PRCC services to be developed Climate diagnostics Various products offered, which together cover almost the entire Arctic Minimum option: Inventory Desired option: Consistency (Review user requirements) Historical reference climatology Various reference climatologies exist, which together cover large parts of the Arctic ?Reference climatology for classic parameter (TT, RR) for Eurasia? Climate Watch system implementation Partly available for European Arctic sub-regions Climate Watch system to be developed

WMO request for potential national contributions to the proposed Arctic PRCC of December 2015 Climate data services PRCC contributions offered PRCC services to be developed Develop regional climate data sets Various data sets offered, which together cover almost the entire Arctic Minimum option: Inventory Desired option: Development of an Arctic (gridded) data set of selected ECVs Provide climate database and archiving services at the request of NMHSs n/a

WMO request for potential national contributions to the proposed Arctic PRCC of December 2015 Training activities PRCC contributions offered PRCC services to be developed Product specifications and guidance on their use Partly in place Consolidation needed Co-ordination of training Some opportunities exist Concept development and implementation needed

WMO request for potential national contributions to the proposed Arctic PRCC of December 2015 List of highly recommended and other activities (keywords) Regional downscaling Assistance in access and use of climate model simulations Vulnerability assessment Extremes indices Traditional knowledge Data rescue and development of long time series incl. QC User interaction assistance Develop R&D agenda R&D: regional climate variability Use of satellite derived products

Summary of key opportunities and challenges Development of sufficient LRF capability for circumpolar Arctic (skills and interest available) Inventorise available climate monitoring services, perform regular gap analyses against user requirements, achieve consistency to provide circumpolar Arctic products and services (ingredients largely available) Inventorise available climate data sets, perform regular gap analyses against user requirements, develop circumpolar Arctic data sets of selected ECVs (ingredients largely available) Develop and implement a training concept (skills available) Development of an Arctic RCC WebPortal (skills available)

Thank you Peer Hechler phechler@wmo.int