MEETINGS

EDITORIAL

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Acknowledgements
The WMO Secretariat would like to express its appreciation to all those who have contributed material to the "Operational Newsletter".

Updates to Volume A

NOTIFICATION FROM EGYPT (see METNO A3804)
Upper-air station 62378 revived its program of radiosonde observations from 1200 UTC only to 0000 UTC and 1200 UTC as from 2 September 2004. 

Upper -air stations 62306, 62414, 62337, 62403 AND 62423 will implement a similar program of radiosonde observations at 0000 UTC and 1200 UTC as from 01 October 2004.

NOTIFICATION FROM NEW ZEALAND (see METNO A3904)
New Zealand introduced a period of Daylight Saving effective 1400 UTC on 2 October 2004 and will continue to 1400 UTC on 19 March 2005.  All upper-air soundings will be carried out one hour earlier during this period.  However, SYNOP reports will continue to be made at standard UTC times.

NOTIFICATION FROM CZECH REPUBLIC (see FEEDBACK)
Amendments to SYNOP station.

NOTIFICATION FROM SEYCHELLES (see FEEDBACK)
Amendments to Rawinsonde station.

National Programmes:
Australia 
Canada
France 
New Zealand 
United Kingdom
United States of America

European Group on Ocean Stations
ARGOS monthly status report (due to technical difficulties the current report is unavailable)

PART A - CATALOGUE FOR OBSERVATIONAL DATA

Changes to codes

The CBS text is:
"After the clarifications of the requirement by ICAO, the Commission agreed that the names METAR, SPECI or TAF should only be required at the beginning of each report, and should not be inserted at the beginning of the bulletin.  The Commission recommended that new format and other changes due to Amendments 72 to ICAO Annex 3/WMO Technical Regulation [C.3.1], with a view to their operational implementation in November 2004 (See Annex 5 to Recommendation 4 CBS-Ext.(02).  The Commission agreed that, in order to ensure a coordinated implementation, the dates for implementation of amendments to the aeronautical codes should be conditioned by operational constraints and should be simultaneous with the dates of implementation of all other code changes.  The Commission recommended that those modifications to aeronautical codes should be implemented on the first Wednesday following 1 November 2004."  (= 3 November 2004).

ANNEX 5 to Recommendation 4 CBS-Ext. (02):
MODIFICATIONS TO FM 15-XII METAR, FM 16-XII SPECI and FM 51-XII TAF
for implementation on 3 November 2004
 

FM 15-XII METAR, FM 16-XII SPECI
(a) Title.  Amend the titles to read “FM 15-XII Ext. METAR   Aerodrome routine meteorological report (with or without trend forecast)” and “FM 16-XII Ext. SPECI   Aerodrome special meteorological report (with or without trend forecast)”.  Reason: the term “selected special reports” has been deleted from ICAO Annex 3/ WMO Technical Regulations (C.3.1).  The proposal would also align the titles used for METAR and SPECI with the one used for TAF Aerodrome forecast (Amendment 72 to Annex 3);

(b) 15.1.1.  Amend to read as follows: “The code name METAR or SPECI shall be included at the beginning of each individual report.” (Amendment 72 to Annex 3);
 

FM 51-XII TAF
(a)  Code form.  Add “AMD” after “TAF”; Reason: there is an aeronautical requirement to identify amended aerodrome forecasts (Amendment 72 to Annex 3); Add at end of NOTE (3): The code words “AMD” shall be included as appropriate for amended forecasts.

(b) 51.1.1 Amend to read as follows: “The code name TAF shall be included at the beginning of each individual aerodrome forecast. (Amendment 72 to Annex 3);

(c) 51.1.5 Amend the last sentence to read as follows: "However, in case of significant change of the clouds, all cloud groups including any significant layer(s) or masses not expected to change shall be given". Reason: to align the Manual on Codes with the ICAO Annex3/WMO Technical regulations (C.3.1).