1. Snow Watch Team Terms of Reference
Overview and discussion items for Columbus Meeting, June 13-14, 2016
Ross Brown and Kari Luojus with input from Barry Goodison

2. Teams in GCW

3. Current Members of Snow Watch Team
Name
Role
Organization
Continent
Ross Brown
Co-lead
Environment and Climate Change Canada
North America
Chris Derksen
Team member
Patricia de Rosnay
European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting
Europe
Sean Helfrich
US National Ice Center
Kari Luojus
Finnish Meteorological Inst.
Samantha Pullen
UK Met Office
David Robinson
Rutgers University
Continents currently not represented: Africa, Asia, Australasia, South America

4. Terms of Reference of the Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW) Integrated Products Working Group
Under the general guidance of the GCW Steering Group (GSG), the Integrated Products Working Group will identify key GCW datasets, facilitate the harmonization of similar products, facilitate product intercomparisons, and oversee the development of data policies for GCW including data exchange by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Members. The Group will consider data homogeneity, interoperability, and compatibility of GCW observing and monitoring systems and derived cryospheric products. Specifically, it will:
Liaise with the cryospheric community and the Polar Space Task Group of the Executive Council Panel of Experts on Polar Observations, Research and Services (EC-PORS) in developing an inventory of candidate in situ and satellite products for GCW;
Liaise with the cryospheric community and the Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM) Expert Team on Sea Ice (ETSI) in developing products related to the role of sea ice in the global climate system for GCW;
Identify key (authoritative) GCW datasets and products;
Facilitate conduct of cryospheric product intercomparisons to assess quality and to ensure the authoritative basis for products; provide scientific and technical reports of results;
Provide links to key (authoritative) products through the GCW Data Portal and/or GCW Website;
Collate and share detailed documentation for use of the GCW (authoritative) products;
Oversee the development of data policy for GCW in consultation with other Working Groups and provide a draft to GSG for consideration of EC-PORS;
Recommends establishment of teams to GSG, as appropriate, such as the Snow Watch Team and define the Terms of References of those teams;
Report annually to GSG, including recommendations regarding GCW products.

5. Proposed ToR for Snow Watch Team
Roles:
Assess the maturity, accuracy and homogeneity of snow data, products and information
Identify priority issues and actions for improved observing of global snow cover, including regional and national scales
Provide advice to WMO on issues related to real-time reporting of in situ and remote sensing of snow cover
Liaise with the cryosphere community, and WMO bodies, to maintain up-to-date knowledge of snow cover monitoring technologies, programs, datasets and products
Provide information and advice to the GCW Website on snow-related products and issues e.g. anomalous snow conditions, extreme events, snow assessments
Contribute to establishing “Guidelines and Best Practices” for snow observing
Contribute to defining/refining snow related terminology
Provide progress updates to the Integrated Products WG and/or GCW Secretariat upon request
Provide support to GCW Steering Group, Working Groups and Teams as required

6. Snow Watch Team ToR contd
Membership:
Team members are recognized snow experts.
Efforts should be made to encourage global representation with at least 1 team member from each WMO Region
New team member recommendations are made to Integrated Products WG by Snow Watch Team co-leads following consultation with team members.
The Team will have two co-leads from different WMO Regions. The period for co-leadership is not limited, but should be rotated around the team and reviewed on an annual basis.
The size of the Snow Watch team??? Should there be a limit e.g. 10?
Members will be nominated to address team priorities; membership will be reviewed annually by the Team co-leads, the IIntegrated Products WG and approved by the GCW Steering Group
Accountability:
The co-leads report to the chairs of the Integrated Products WG

7. Snow Watch Team ToR contd
Working Methods:
Regular meetings will be held online at least twice yearly with a face-to-face meeting approximately once every two years involving the participation of invited experts
The chair of meetings will be rotated between the co-leads and the meeting chair is responsible for the meeting minutes
A draft agenda will be circulated at least 1 month prior to the proposed meeting date with a request for discussion items
Experts may be invited to participate in meetings to address certain topics
Tasks defined by the team will be on-going between meetings, as defined by the team’s workplan
Review:
The Terms of Reference are to be reviewed annually