Dissemination of Warnings and Forecasts PWS Workshop Macao, China, 18 April 2013 David Hui

 Strategy of Weather Information Dissemination  New Dissemination Technologies and Methods  Dissemination Systems for different channels Outline

 Identify your users and determine their needs  Design and customize products to fulfill user requirements  Choose an effective dissemination media/channels  Note the characteristics of different channels  Note the presentation of information when choosing dissemination channel  Keep abreast of development of new technologies and methods in communication  Develop or acquire systems for weather information dissemination Strategy of Weather Information Dissemination

4 Major Groups  Users (1) - Hazard Community / Government Authorities  User (2) – Weather Sensitive Economic Sectors  User (3) – Mass Media (Print, TV, Radio)  User (4) – General Public

UsersDissemination Channels Hazard community / Government authorities Fax, Telephone, , SMS, Dedicated website, FTP Weather-sensitive economic sectorsFax, Telephone, , SMS, Dedicated website, FTP, Specialized Channel (e.g. NAVTEX) Media (press, radio, TV)Fax, SMS, FTP PublicWebsite, Media, DAB, IVRS, Mobile app, SMS, Social Networking Websites, Weather Wizard, Electronic Display, Big Horn in Rural Areas Dissemination Channels for Different Users

What’s new

 Mobile app  Mobile website  Social Networking websites  Weather Wizard – SWIdget  Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB)  Common Alert Protocol (CAP) Dissemination Techniques and Methods in Recent Years

 Worldwide mobile device sales increased 32% in 2010  Smartphone sales in 2010 were up 72 percent from 2009 Source: Gartner, Inc. ( Mobile devices getting more and more popular

MonthTotal Mobile Data Usage (Mbytes) RiseMobile Data Usage per Customer (Mbytes) Rise April 20112,411,014,005153% % April ,471, Mobile data usage in Hong Kong Source: Office of Telecom Authority, Hong Kong

 Popularity of smartphone and affordable mobile data service charge  Smartphone can detect user’s location  Development of location-based weather service  Timely weather information delivery, especially weather warning Opportunities of personalized weather service

 Warning in force  Temperature, RH, wind, rainfall at user’s location  Hong Kong 7-day forecast  UV index  Shortcut to weekly weather video on Youtube  Weather Photo as background MyObservatory – iPhone app (Launched in March 2010, enhanced in July)

 For access to a suit of weather services  Radar / Satellite Imageries  Lightning Location  Regional Weather  Astronomy and Tide Information  World Major Cities Forecast  Marine Forecast for the coastal waters  Observatory’s Blog  Rainfall Distribution in Hong Kong  Push Notification MyObservatory – continuous enhancement

 Tropical Cyclone Track on Google Map with geographical information  Can be magnified and reduced  Able to present multiple TCs at the same time  Click on analysis or forecast positions to see details MyObservatory – Interactive TC Track

MyObservatory on Android (Launched in Nov 2010)

Page view statistics of HKO mobile website

Ratio of HKO mobile to main websites usage

 Enhanced user experience – faster and smoother  Customized users interface and animation effects by vendors – not limited by conventional HTML (webpage)  Smaller data volume – less loading for web server  Lower bandwidth consumption – only 2%of conventional website!  Able to obtain user’s location – provide personalized location-based service Merits of mobile app

Shortfalls and limitations  Mobile platforms are diverse – 5 major platforms, viz. Symbian, iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows  Incompatible among different vendors  High development efforts and maintenance cost  Tend to cover the “high-end” market

Mobile website  Revamped HKO mobile website launched in 1 st Quarter 2011  Improved navigation  Automatically adopt to screen size of different mobile devices  Better graphics possible in view of lowering of mobile data charges  Personalized Theme

 Anytime – timely update  Anywhere – not tie up with a PC  Anyone – high penetration  Economical – affordable by users  Opportunity – personalized or location-based service  Thrust – momentum for future’s growth Benefits of mobile weather service

Use of Social Networking Website to find audience of younger generation

Twitter

Facebook

 A widget which allows users to obtain local severe weather warnings issued by official weather services in real time Weather Wizard (SWIdget on SWIC platform)

Mechanism of how the warning dissemination works  Participating Member :  decides the list of warnings to be made available  maintain the warnings in their web server using a standard format (XML)  Hong Kong Observatory provides:  the standard format  the ‘weather wizard’ facility on SWIC  Users:  go to SWIC and download a simple program to install on their PC  select warnings and set preference  receive the warnings (from participating member ) when they are in force.

Universal Weather Wizard Mouse over WMO Member’s icon on the toolbar Mouse over the Member’s icon and show the warning status Members are highly encouraged to join the project!

 Digital version of FM/AM radio  Feature a small screen to display text and image  Will it become popular ?? Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB)

 XML based data format for exchanging public warnings and emergencies  Allows a warning message to be consistently disseminated simultaneously over many warning systems to many applications  Increase warning effectiveness  Simplify the procedures for activating a warning Common Alert Protocol (CAP)

Dissemination Channels MeritsShortfalls / Limitations Target Users Telephone, FaxStable; Low cost; Low interference Slow; Not effective for large no. of user Hazard community; Gov.; Wx-sensitive sectors SMSStable; Deliver to selected users Mobile phone users only; Expensive (in HK) Hazard community; Gov. IVRSAutomatic; Stable; Low cost Need computerized data Public Media (Radio, TV) Low cost; Fast delivery Limited air time; Simple message Public WebsiteFast delivery of voluminous info; Graphics possible Online user onlyHazard community; Gov.; Wx-sensitive sectors Mobile applications Good user experience; Cost effective; Location-based service possible Incompatible across various platforms; High maintenance cost Public A comparison between various dissemination channels Evaluate the effectiveness of various dissemination channels for your own country!

Dissemination channels System to develop or acquirePrerequisite TelephoneTelephone line (manual); Automatic Calling System (auto) Nil; Computerization FaxFax ManagerNil Website, Mobile applications Internet Content Management System Computerization FTPAutomated Dissemination System Computerization SMS, Gateway to mobile service provider, gateway Nil, computerization perferred Auto telephone enquiry system IVRSManual recording or computerized Develop/acquire systems for weather information dissemination

Thank you