Public Weather Services Programme Public Warnings Dissemination and CAP Haleh Kootval Chief, Public Weather Services Programme WMO

Public Weather Services Programme (PWSP) established in 1994 Strengthen the capabilities of WMO Members to meet the needs of the community through provision of comprehensive weather services, with particular emphasis on public safety and welfare, Foster a better understanding by the public of the capabilities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and how best to use their services” Forecasts Warnings Public NMHSs Appreciate the weather services PWSP The PWS provides a window through which the NMHS communicates weather warnings and forecasts to the public. 25/11/2018

WMO’s Global Operational Network Global Observing System Global Telecommunication System Global Data Processing And Forecasting System: 3 World Meteorological Centres 40 Regional Specialized Centers NMHSs deliver information and warning services 25/11/2018

PWS Dissemination Weather Hazards Services by NMHSs floods, fire, drought, strong winds, heavy snow etc Services by NMHSs Weather Forecasts, watches, alerts, Warnings Dissemination Methods Websites, TV, Radio, Telephone, RANET Examples of Groups served by NMHSs General Public, isolated communities, Government and civil defence authorities etc. 25/11/2018

Dissemination and Presentation Effective dissemination and presentation: An essential element of and the key to effective PWS Challenge: To convey warnings, forecasts and other information effectively to general public 25/11/2018

WARNINGS - a process that begins with the production of information about weather and climate and ends with effective loss minimising actions Warnings must be produced Warning message must be transmitted & received Information must be understood Information must be confirmed Message must be believed Risk must be personalised Decision to take appropriate defensive and preparatory actions Resources and capacity for preparatory action 25/11/2018

The Challenge of Public warning Collaborative actions are necessary to assure that standards-based, all-media, all-hazards public warning becomes an essential infrastructure component available to all societies worldwide Provide information that is easily accessible and understandable everywhere 25/11/2018

The Challenge of Public warning All available communications media should be used (from broadcast down to individuals) to get timely and appropriate warnings for all hazards to everyone who needs them A standards-based, all-media, all-hazards public warning strategy makes sense now using digital technologies and integrating radio, television, cellular telephone, satellites, Internet-based and other network services 25/11/2018

Weather, Climate and Health Example of All-Hazard warning system Growing awareness of the linkages between human health and weather and climate PWS provide information on risks caused by changing weather and climate conditions Cardiovascular and respiratory Heat and cold stress UV radiation Pollen spread and dust High Ozon concentration Spread of typhoid, malaria or cholera 25/11/2018

Factors contributing to ineffectual warnings Plans can go wrong because of: Forecast accuracy: miscalculating onset time, intensity or impacts “sole authority” issue in preparing and issuing warnings Communication and/or dissemination inadequacies Contradictory information from different sources Low credibility of NMHS 25/11/2018

Dissemination of warnings and Forecasts Often the challenge is to provide the most cost-effective system(s) within severe funding constraints Dissemination techniques will depend on the communication infrastructure Robust and reliable Back up capability 25/11/2018

Dissemination of warnings and Forecasts Dissemination systems: most critical issue for developing countries Point-to-Multipoint Mass media (TV, Radio, Newspapers), sirens and signals, RANET, NOAA Weather Radio Man on bicycle 25/11/2018

Dissemination of warnings and Forecasts Point-to-Point: Dedicated Fax, automatic telephone answering Internet email Mobile communication Strength and weaknesses 25/11/2018

Examples of Dissemination Korea (high tech) Cell Broadcasting Service (CBS) Phone Disaster Notification Broadcasting System Problem: transmission does not reach high mountain areas in need of warnings for flash flood Radio Disaster Warning Broadcasting System TV Disaster Warning Broadcasting System 25/11/2018

CBS (Cell Broadcasting Service) Phone Disaster Notification Broadcasting System (Cont’d) ▣ System Structure and Message Flow 【 CBS Message Transmission flow 】 End user (Mobile phone with CBS service function] ) Mobile Telecom Company NEMA CBS System of Mobile Telecom Company Base Station CBS message on mobile phone which is located at broadcasted area Request to CBS message Transmission at disaster area 25/11/2018 7

5) TV Disaster Warning Broadcasting System ▣ System Management streamlines 16

Examples of Dissemination Bangladesh (people intensive) 33000 Cyclone Volunteers CPP and Red Cross BMD sends info to CPP HQ Information gets to the village-level volunteers through radio Use bicycles Distribution to public by megaphones and flags Problme: Maintenance of megaphones and torches 25/11/2018

Examples of Dissemination Sri Lanka- high tech tsunami warning system using satellites, mobile and fixed wireless phones Challenge: reach large numbers of local communities and rural areas Major component of the project is use of CAP 25/11/2018

The Severe Weather Information Centre (SWIC) http://severe.worldweather.wmo.int Established as a centralized source for media access to official tropical cyclone warnings and information issued by NMHSs and RSMCc Has attracted the participation of WMO Members in all tropical cyclone basis Currently displays tropical cyclone warnings and information for all tropical cyclone basins Observations on heavy rain/snow from all WMO Members are displayed New page displaying the occurrences of thunderstorms was also added. Ultimate goal: to develop SWIC into a Multi-hazard Information and Resource Centre 25/11/2018

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Visualizing Weather Warnings Meteoalarm 25/11/2018

CAP and PWS Conclusions Existing warning systems are mix of different technologies and procedures CAP will allow consistent warning message disseminated simultaneously over many different warning systems, thus increasing warning effectiveness Possibility of use of CAP in SWIC and Meteoalarm for public warnings 25/11/2018

Thank You 25/11/2018