1. Evaluating the utilization of climate information products of the WMO RA VI RCC-network by NMHSs in the context of S2D climate service product development
Daniel Funk
Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD)
SE1/CE8 Creating national and regional climate services in Europe through partnerships
16th EMS Annual Meeting & 11th European Conference on Applied Climatology (ECAC)
12–16 September 2016 | Trieste, Italy

2. Assessing the usability of RA VI products
Background:
dissemination structures and pathways are crucial for the usability of Climate Service Products
main source of climate information for end-users and boundary organisations are NMHSs (National Meteorological and Hydrologcial Services) (besides internet & web portals)
S2D climate information is generally available on regional scales.
RCCs may recieve a key-role in the provision of S2D climate information
Scope: ‚what is the relevance of RCC-products for the development of climate information products by NMHSs of the RA VI region?‘
PBPV – 10/2013

3. Survey frame conditions
DWD as leader of the WMO RA VI RCC-CM (Regional Climate Centre – Climate Monitoring)
EU FP7 project EUPORIAS
Online-survey
Addressees: all NMHSs of the RA VI region
Structure: 30 questions in 4 sections
General information of the NMHS (department, section, etc.)
Spectrum and characteristics of products and services provided
Use (actual, potential, limited) of products provided by the RA VI RCC
Use (actual, potential, limited) of Climate Watch Advisories
PBPV – 10/2013

4. RA VI RCC products Monthly and annual bulletins
Node
Product group
Products
RCC-node CM
Monthly and annual bulletins
Annual Bulletin on the climate in RA VI;
Monthly Climate Diagnostics Bulletin;
Significant weather events
Monthly event calendar;
Monthly event maps;
National and European reports;
Historic Extreme Weather Events (reports, European Severe Weather Database (ESWD))
Parameter maps: Europe
Monthly, seasonal and annual maps of standard parameters and GCOS variables for the entire region;
Reference climatology for standard climate parameters and indices
Parameter maps: individual countries
Monthly, seasonal and annual maps of standard parameters and GCOS variables for individual countries
Sub-regional products
Monthly, seasonal and annual maps of standard parameters and GCOS variables for the Eastern Mediterranean and South Caucasus region; SE Europe climate anomalies and extremes
Climate Watch Advisory
Advisory bulletins for upcoming climate extreme events
ECA/D Indices-of-extremes: products
ECA/D based maps, graphs and trends (temperature, precipitation, extremes Indices; climatologies), based on station data or gridded data
Large scale circulation monitoring
Frequency anomaly of North-Atlantic regimes;
Oceanic Plumes;
Anomalies maps on different areas for: temperature, geopotential height, pressure
RCC-node CD
ECA/D Indices-of-extremes: data
Gridded and station data sets
Data management tools
Tools for accessing and handling climate data
RCC-node LRF
Seasonal forecast products
Forecast maps;
Land Boxes forecasts;
Seasonal Outlook and Global Climate Bulletin
Seasonal forecast scoring and verification products
Graphs and maps of model performances;
Follow-up of the quality of operational previous forecasts;
Digitized data on seasonal forecasts and hindcasts
Verification datasets
PBPV – 10/2013

5. general information
Total feedback rate: 29 of 50 possible NMHSs [52%] => total n=32
Positive feedback on RCC products: 62% => n=21 [of 32]
Precondition for the ability to give answers on sectror- user-specific facts
Use of RCC products by responding NMHSs
PBPV – 10/2013

6. use of RCC products
Gesamtnutzung: fast alle Produkte werden von mehr als der Hälfte der Nutzer genutzt!
Top Produkte: Significant weather events & Bulletins (keine Nicht-Nutzung)!
Frequenz: alle drei saisonale Produkte sind führend!
PBPV – 10/2013

7. Relevance of RCC products
Allgemein: meistgenutzten Produkte sind auch die relevantesten Produkte
PBPV – 10/2013

8. Scope of application Agriculture Public media
Nutzung von RCC-Produkten vor allem für allgemeine Klimaprodukte (vor allem für institutionelle Nutzer)
Nur 10% wissen über die konkrete Nutzung von Endnutzern Bescheid (Landwirtschaft – saisonal; media)
Examples for specific use by end-user
Scope of application of RCC products
PBPV – 10/2013

9. RCC products: limited use
Subregional
Country maps
Europe maps
Bulletins
General: resolution, detail, quality, lower uncertainty
Seasonal products: Access, usability, tailoring, format, availability
Alle Fragebogenteilnehmer fließen hier ein!
PBPV – 10/2013

10. RCC products: potential use
Seasonal forecasts
Sign. weather events
Bulletins
Alle Fragebogenteilnehmer fließen hier ein!
PBPV – 10/2013

11. Use of Climate Watch Advisories (CWA)
NMHSs recieved a CWA
Relevance of CWA
Alle Fragebogenteilnehmer fließen hier ein!
Scope:
additional information for sub-regional forecasts
Issue of warnings (climate hazards)
PBPV – 10/2013

12. CWA: limited and potential use
Limited use of CWAs
Potential use of CWAs
Alle Fragebogenteilnehmer fließen hier ein!
Improvement of skill, accuracy and quality
Higher / consistent resolution => local / sub-regional information; impact info (Indices)
Gridded data for post-processing / access
Issue timing of CWAs
PBPV – 10/2013

13. Summary RCC products are of general relevance for NMHSs
Most relevant are products with synoptic character or added value often related to climate hazards and extremes (bulletins, ECA/D indices products and data, and products on severe weather events)
Seasonal forecasts products (also CWAs) attract special attention
high relevance, high potential use, high user-specific application
High demand for „ready to use products“ or access to data.
RCC with high potential for S2D climate service product provision
Problem of perception
Top-down production of climate information => specification / tailoring of general climate information
Specification problem (little (no) knowledge of impact on end-user)
PBPV – 10/2013

14. Thank you for your attention!
Full report available:
PBPV – 10/2013