1. IPET-OPSLS: Activities and Achievements (after April 2016 Beijing Meeting)
Arun Kumar
Chair, CBS/CCL IPET-OPSLS
Climate Prediction Center, USA

2. Rotation of IPET-OPSLS Chair in November 2016 (from Richard Graham to Arun Kumar); Many thanks to Richard for all his efforts (over eight years as the Chair) in advancing WMO LRF infrastructure.
DWD, Offenbach became the 13th GPC-LRF and started providing the data to LC-LRFMME.
Approval of designation criteria for Global Producing Centers for Annual to Decadal Climate Prediction (GPC-ADCP), and its inclusion in the GDPFS Manual.
Approval of designation criteria for Lead Center for Annual to Decadal Climate Prediction (LC-ADCP), and its inclusion in the GDPFS Manual.
- One of the few places where there is an international cooperation

3. Approval of UKMO as the LC-ADCP.
Participated in the completion of the new version of the GDPFS Manual.
Held 1st WMO workshop on Operational Climate Prediction (OCP-1), November 2015, Pune, India.
Held 2nd WMO workshop on Operational Climate Prediction (OCP-2), May 2018, Barcelona, Spain.
Concurred to remove password access to graphical products at the LC-LRFMME website.

4. Developed a research requirements document from operations perspective.
Developed the draft outline of the guidance for seasonal forecast practices.
Participated in the CBS Technical Conference (CBS-TECO) in March 2018; presented proposals for designation of news class of RSMCs.
Participated in the CCl Technical Conference (CCl-TECO) in April 2018.
Participating in the organization of the Subseasonal to Decadal Prediction conferences in September 2018, Boulder, USA.
Supported regional activities including participation in RCOFs and workshops for advancing seasonal prediction practices.

5. Participated in the RCOF review workshop.
Made advances in centralizing the verification of seasonal forecasts
Participated in the development of the Global Seasonal Climate (GSCU) update.
Participated in the ICT-DPFS (February 2018) and in developing the OPAG-DPFS action items for the next intersessional period.
Participated in the development of the implementation plan for the Seamless GDPFS

6. Updates to the GPC-LRF seasonal forecast systems submitted to LC-LRFMME
GPC-ECMWF
GPC-Seoul
GPC-Offenbach

7. LC-LRFMME
Opening up the graphical products
Included seasonal forecasts from GPC-Offenbach
Updated seasonal forecasts from other GPCs
Provided graphics on NH polar projection (to support ArcRCC)
Took on responsibilities for verifications
Development of the sub-seasonal pilot
Providing continued support for GSCU

8. ICT-OPSLS Milestones & Status
Actions
Deliverable
Status and Comments
Workshop on Operational Climate Prediction
Organize 2nd workshop on Operational Climate Prediction (OCP-2)
Completed
Guidelines on procedures for generating regional seasonal forecasts
Develop a guidelines document
A draft outline has been completed
Implementation of sub-seasonal forecasts, including establishment of sub-seasonal GPCs and possibly of an associated lead center.
Establish designation criteria for GPCs for sub-seasonal predictions
Establishing a new class of RSMCs was proposed to the CBS MG during CBS-TECO in March 2018; A pilot phase of sub-seasonal forecasts has been established at LC-LRFMME
Designation of LC-NTCP
Establish designation criteria for GPCs and lead Centers for Near Term Climate Prediction (NTCP)
Completed designation criteria for GPCs and lead center(s) for “Annual to Decadal Climate Prediction (ADCP) are now part of GDPFS Manual

9. ICT-OPSLS Milestones & Status
Actions
Deliverable
Status and Comments
Develop revised strategies for verification exchange, including for LC-LRFMME multi-model products, real-time verification and support to GSCU
A verification system for LC-LRFMME products (including hindcasts and real-time forecasts)
LC-LRFMME took on the responsibility for verifications; The future status of SVSLRF will be further discussed in June 2018 in Barcelona, Spain
To support emerging requirements of Polar RCCs, revisit the mandatory and highly recommended data requirements for GPCs able to provide forecast information relevant to Polar regions, and revise GPDFS as necessary
A revised set of mandatory and highly recommended requirements for GPCs for Long-Range Predictions
(a) LC-LRFMME is now providing graphical products has been made to provide forecast display on polar projection.
(b) mandatory and highly recommended data requirements for GPCs will be discussed in the IPET-OPSLS face-to-face meeting in June 2018, Barcelona, Spain

10. ICT-OPSLS Milestones & Status
Actions
Deliverable
Status and Comments
Designation of LC-NTCP
Establish designation criteria for GPCs and lead Centers for Near Term Climate Prediction (NTCP)
Complete. Designation criteria for GPCs and lead center(s) for “Annual to Decadal Climate Prediction (ADCP) are now part of GDPFS Manual
Develop mechanisms for WGSIP and S2S project communities to provide feedback on LC-LRFMME products, and access GPC data to advance research efforts. (2018)
A mechanism for obtaining feedback for LC-LRFMME products and their availability by research community
(a) Research requirements from the operations were provided by IPET-OPSLS to WGSIP.
(b) Open data access will be discussed in the IPET-OPSLS face-to-face meeting in June 2018, Barcelona, Spain
Review applications for new GPC candidates for WMO designation and update LC-LRFMME products by incorporating newly designated GPCs in the multi-model forecast product.
Complete review of new GPC applicants, and if designated, inclusion of their products in the LC-LRFMME
As needed, applications are reviewd.

11. Decisions, recommendations and agreed actions from the IPET-OPSLS meeting in Beijing, 2016
Implementation of the new streamlined verification facility at LC-LRFMME and harmonisation with LC-SVSLRF
Further development of the LC-LRFMME real-time sub-seasonal multi-model pilot
Development of roles and responsibilities for a Lead Centre for Near Term Climate Prediction
Seamless Data-processing and Forecasting System
Potential requirements on GPCs from a Polar RCC (PRCC)
Next WMO workshop on Operational Climate Prediction

12. Decisions, recommendations and agreed actions from the IPET-OPSLS meeting in Beijing, 2016
GPC products and outputs
Recommendations for GSCU development
Harmonisation of GSCU and LC-LRFMME website products
Guidance document on procedures for generating consolidated regional seasonal forecasts
ET-OPSLS / WGSIP collaboration on themes relevant to operational prediction
Quality control of GPC products on the LC-LRFMME website
Temporary access to LC-LRFMME products

13. Decisions, recommendations and agreed actions from the IPET-OPSLS meeting in Beijing, 2016
Review of the SVSLRF
Questionnaire on subseasonal verification practices in operational centres
Questionnaire on GPC approaches for distribution of hindcast and forecast data

14. A lot done; looking forward …
Long-range forecast infrastructure, and coordination among operational centers is far behind the practices in weather prediction.
Need to be more active between face-to-face meetings in advancing the action items of IPET-OPSLS and Sub-Teams.