Programmes > World Climate Programme > Climate applications and services > WMO Regional Climate Centres

WMO Regional Climate Centres

The World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) basic infrastructure has been extended to strengthen the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) capabilities in operationally generating and delivering up-to-date climate information and prediction products for climate services, especially in support of climate adaptation and risk management. Accordingly, several WMO designated Global Producing Centres for Long-Range Forecasts (GPCLRFs) have been established to provide a range of global long-range forecasting products.

Furthermore, WMO designated Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) are being implemented to generate and deliver more regionally-focused high-resolution data and products as well as training and capacity building.

The GPCLRFs and the RCCs constitute integral components of WMO's Global Data Processing and Forecasting System (GDPFS) underpinning the generation of climate information products by the NMHSs.

Centres of Excellence, the WMO RCCs create regional products including long-range forecasts that support regional and national activities and thereby strengthen capacity of WMO Members in a given region to deliver the best climate services to national users.

RCC Implementation

The WMO has been making concerted efforts to implement RCCs, in close coordination with its Regional Associations, Commission for Climatology (CCl) and Commission for Basic Systems (CBS). All the six Regional Associations of WMO have committed to their establishment in close compliance with the applicable WMO Technical Regulations, the GDPFS.

To discover the status of RCCs or RCC-Networks implementation, click on a WMO Regional Association (RA) link within the information windows.

Legend

designated RCC	RCC in demonstration phase	RCC proposed
designated RCC-Network	RCC-Network in demonstation phase	RCC-Network proposed

Polar Regional Climate Centres

The concept of RCCs is being extended to serve the unique requirements of polar and high-mountain regions, namely the Arctic, Antarctic and the Third Pole region. As a first step, the WMO Executive Council Panel of Experts on Polar and High Mountain Observations, Research and Services (EC-PHORS) is guiding the implementation of the Arctic Polar RCC-Network. For more details, see RCC implementation in the Polar Regions.

Functions and Designation

WMO Regional Climate Centres at a Glance (Flyer)
How to establish and run WMO RCC
- Brochure (English/ French/ Spanish)
- Survey Template on NMHSs's regional needs for and capacity to deliver RCC services (English/ French)
- Application Template of a RCC candidate to the President of a WMO Regional Association (English/ French/ Spanish)
Definitions and Mandatory Functions of WMO RCCs and RCC-Networks
Detailed Criteria for Mandatory Functions of WMO RCCs and RCC-Networks
Additional Highly Recommended Functions of designated WMO RCCs or WMO RCC-Networks

Useful Links

More Information

Introductory presentation to WMO RCCs (English/ Spanish)

For more information on WMO RCC designation process, contact the WMO Secretariat.
For specific RCC products, please contact the concerned WMO RCCs or Pilots at the links given above.

Top

©2017 World Meteorological Organization, 7bis, avenue de la Paix, Case postale No. 2300, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Tel.: +41(0)22 730 81 11 - Fax: +41(0)22 730 81 81