| OPERATIONAL NEWSLETTER |
| ON THE WORLD WEATHER WATCH |
| |
| News Updates - 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| |
| Migration of Table-Driven Code Forms (TDCF) |
| Notification from Deutscher Wetterdienst |
In compliance with the WMO BUFR Migration Plan, Deutscher Wetterdienst will stop the parallel dissemination of SYNOP reports in FM12 TAC (Traditional Alphanumeric Code, ASCII) with effect from 13 January 2016. There will be no TAC FM12 data dissemination after this date, only BUFR.
All SYNOP reports are available in FM94 BUFR code. Should you miss any data in BUFR, please contact us under rth@dwd.de for clarification.
For detailed information and equivalence of TAC and BUFR bulletins, please check the table below. The reason for differences between TAC and BUFR bulletins is the fact, that stations within one TAC bulletin refer to different WMO BUFR-tables and have therefore to be disseminated in different BUFR bulletins; stations within one BUFR bulletin may refer to one BUFR-table only.
Should you not be able to comply with this long-announced termination of FM12 TAC dissemination, please also contact us under rth@dwd.de and we will try to offer support if possible.
| Equivalence of German SYNOP bulletins/reports FM12 SYNOP / FM94 BUFR |
| Category |
TTAAii |
TTAAii |
CCCC |
Contents |
| |
FM12 SYNOP |
FM94 BUFR |
|
|
| ESSENTIAL |
SM(I,N,X)DL(01,21) |
IS(M,I,N,X)D01 |
EDZW |
10004 10015 10020 10035 10055 10147 10162 10184 10200 10224 10270 10338 10361 10393 10400 10469 10488 10506 10548 10637 10685 10738 10763 10788 10852 10946 |
| ESSENTIAL |
SM(I,N,X)DL22 |
IS(M,I,N,X)D02 |
EDZW |
10007 10044 10046 10091 10113 10124 10131 10170 10253 10264 10268 10291 10315 10379 10381 10382 10384 10410 10427 10430 10453 10496 10499 10505 10513 10532 10544 10554 10567 10578 |
| ESSENTIAL |
SM(I,N,X)DL23 |
IS(M,I,N,X)D03 |
EDZW |
10609 10616 10641 10655 10675 10688 10708 10729 10731 10742 10776 10791 10805 10815 10836 10870 10895 10908 10929 10948 10961 10962 |
| ESSENTIAL |
S(M,I)AA(01,21) |
IS(M,I)I(01,11) |
EDZW |
89002 |
| ESSENTIAL |
|
IS(M,I,N)D13 |
EDZW |
10439 |
| ADDITIONAL |
SM(I,N,X)DL44 |
IS(M,I,N,X)D04 |
EDZW |
10022 10028 10042 10093 10097 10129 10130 10139 10142 10146 10150 10152 10156 |
| ADDITIONAL |
SM(I,N,X)DL45 |
IS(M,I,N,X)D05 |
EDZW |
10161 10168 10180 10193 10210 10235 10249 10261 10267 10281 10282 10289 10305 10309 10312 |
| ADDITIONAL |
SM(I,N,X)DL46 |
IS(M,I,N,X)D06 |
EDZW |
10321 10325 10348 10356 10359 10365 10368 10376 10385 10396 10418 10424 10433 10435 10441 10442 10444 10449 10452 |
| ADDITIONAL |
SM(I,N,X)DL47 |
IS(M,I,N,X)D07 |
EDZW |
10454 10458 10460 10466 10471 10474 10480 10490 10495 10519 10520 10526 10534 10537 10540 10542 10552 10557 |
| ADDITIONAL |
SM(I,N,X)DL48 |
IS(M,I,N,X)D08 |
EDZW |
10564 10565 10569 10574 10577 10579 10582 10591 10615 10628 10635 10646 10648 10658 10671 10686 10704 10706 10724 10733 10736 10739 10747 |
| ADDITIONAL |
SM(I,N,X)DL49 |
IS(M,I,N,X)D09 |
EDZW |
10756 10761 10765 10777 10782 10796 10803 10818 10827 10840 10850 10863 10865 10872 10875 10945 10963 10982 |
| ADDITIONAL |
-- |
IS(M,I,N)D43 |
EDZW |
10033 10037 10038 10067 10126 10136 10172 10238 10246 10304 10306 10334 10335 10343 10476 10500 10502 10516 10613 10618 10743 10771 10837 10853 10856 10857 10860 10954 |
|
| Published: 22 December 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
Notification from the Cyprus Department of Meteorology
|
Considering practical client-based problems, the termination of the simultaneous broadcast of TAC and TDCF bulletins will be initiated after 31 March 2016, instead of after 31 December 2015 which was initially intended.
As of 1 April 2016 only TDCF bulletins will be broadcast for SYNOP, CLIMAT, PILOT and TEMP. |
| Published: 21 December 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| Drifter data in BUFR TM315009 format to the GTS |
Notification from Environment Canada (EC) - Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC)
|
The MSC will begin to distribute drifting buoy data in WMO official BUFR template TM315009 under the WMO headers IOBX12 CWAO and IOBX15 CWAO. The current ASCII formatted messages in FM18 BUOY will continue to be distributed under the headers SSVX02 CWAO, for non-MSC volunteer third party drifting buoys and SSVX05 CWAO for MSC drifting buoys.
IOBX12 CWAO will be used for volunteered (third party or commercial) non-MSC drifting buoys in BUFR format.
IOBX15 CWAO will be used for non-commercial MSC drifting buoys in BUFR format.
The current BUFR messages, distributed under the headers IOBX02 CWAO for non-MSC drifting buoys and IOBX05 for MSC drifting buoys, will be replaced by the new circuit headers IOBX12 CWAO for non-MSC drifting buoys and IOBX15 CWAO for MSC drifting buoys. The new circuit headers
IOBX12 CWAO for non-MSC drifting buoys and IOBX15 CWAO for MSC drifting buoys will be distributed in WMO official template TM315009.
|
| Published: 17 December 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| New situation on provision of meteorological services |
Notification from The Netherlands
|
As from 01 January 2016, KNMI – The Netherlands (Region VI) will become responsible for the production and international distribution of all meteorological information for the Caribbean Netherlands (Region IV): the islands Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba.
This includes the provision of meteorological observations, forecasts and warnings.
==>> For additional information.
|
| Published: 11 November 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| ECMWF Tropical cyclone products |
ECMWF is augmenting the tropical cyclone (TC) track products that it makes available on the GTS. This product now includes tracks of tropical cyclones that develop (i.e. undergo genesis) during the forecast integrations (the 'Genesis category'), as a supplement to the tracks that we already provide for existing tropical cyclones, i.e. where there is an official observation TC report at the initial time of the forecast time (the 'Pre-existing category'). The track products are provided for both high-resolution (HRES) and ensemble (ENS) forecasts out to 10 days.
There will be no change to the BUFR encoding of these products, and also the GTS headers will not change (see description below)
This change means that users will see (in general) more TCs in the ECMWF GTS products. Users can distinguish the new 'genesis' TCs by using the storm identifier in the BUFR product. Further information is available at:
https://software.ecmwf.int/wiki/display/FCST/Tropical+Cyclone+tracks+in+BUFR+-+including+genesis
This change will be introduced with the 12 UTC cycle on Tuesday 10 November 2015.
| Conventions for the Bulletin headers TTA1A2ii given below: |
| TT |
JS indicates: |
BUFR, Surface/Sea Level |
| A1 |
X indicates: |
other surface data |
| A2 |
X indicates: |
global area (not defined) |
| ii |
01 - 19 indicates: |
sequence number of TC track bulletin |
| CCCC |
ECMF indicates: |
HRES forecasts |
| |
ECEP indicates: |
ENS forecasts |
| YY |
indicates: |
the day of the month |
|
| Published: 6 November 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| CODES |
| Adoption of amendments to the Manual on Codes (WMO No. 306) by the fast-track procedure |
In accordance with the fast-track procedure for adoption of amendments to the Manual on Codes, the Secretariat sent a list of amendments to the focal points for codes and data presentation matters for comments on 27 August 2015.
In consideration of no objections from the focal points, the president of CBS has approved the amendments on behalf of Executive Council for implementation on 11 November 2015.
The amendments are available in
English,
French,
Russian and
Spanish. |
| Published: 6 November 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| New Zealand Summer Time |
| New Zealand will introduce a period of daylight saving from 1400 UTC on 26 September 2015 to 1400 UTC on 2 April 2016. During this period all upper-air soundings will be carried out one hour earlier, but SYNOP reports will continue to be made at UTC times. |
| Published: 5 October 2015 |
|
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| WMO No. 386 - Manual on the Global Telecommunication System |
|
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| GOS Regulatory or Guidance Material |
|
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| JMA to start distribution of Himawari High Density Atmospheric Motion Vectors |
| Notification from Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) |
JMA will start providing products from Himawari-8 on 7 July 2015.
The details of the GTS abbreviated headings are as follows:
IXCN[01-20] : Visible, Northern Hemisphere
IXCN[21-50] : Infrared, Northern Hemisphere
IXCN[51-99] : Water Vapour, Northern Hemisphere
IXCS[01-20] : Visible, Southern Hemisphere
IXCS[21-50] : Infrared, Southern Hemisphere
IXCS[51-99] : Water Vapour, Southern Hemisphere
Hourly total volume of all bulletins is estimated to be about 2.8 MB.
The time of dissemination will be about 25 minutes after the observation time.
JMA continues to provide MTSAT products until it finishes operation.
More information on Atmospheric Motion Vectors is available at:
http://www.data.jma.go.jp/mscweb/en/product/product/amv/index.html
If you have any questions about these products, please contact:
Satellite Program Division - Email: metsat@met.kishou.go.jp |
| Published: 6 July 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| HKO to extend tropical cyclone forecast track from 3 days to 5 days |
| Notification from the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) |
Effective 00Z on 1 June 2015, HKO will extend its tropical cyclone forecast track from 3 days to a maximum of 5 days ahead. Users currently receiving the bulletins with headers: WTPQ20 VHHH, WTSS20 VHHH, FXPQ21 VHHH and FXSS21 VHHH may need to enhance their data processing systems in order to recognize the new fourth- and fifth-day forecast information. If you have any questions about these changes, please contact:
S.T. Chan
Hong Kong Observatory
Email: stchan@hko.gov.hk |
| Published: 21 May 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| AEMET to stop distribution of TAC observation bulletins |
| Notification from Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET), Spain |
AEMET is to change their observation BUFR distribution (CLIMAT, SYNOP) and will discontinue "official" TAC (SYNOP, CLIMAT, TEMP) bulletins distribution effective 29 June 2015.
As an exception:
TAC bulletins without a BUFR version will continue to be distributed (eg Barcelona TEMP).
TAC bulletins with a BUFR version will be available, on request, for a period of one year.
Centres still requiring TAC bulletins should contact:
Guillermo García Yáñez
Email: ggarciay@aemet.es
Telephone: +(34) 91 58 19 757
List of deleted bulletins (both TAC and TDCF) and modified/new bulletins (TDCF). Current BUFR bulletins that will not change are not listed. |
| Published: 30 April 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| WMO No. 386 - Manual on the Global Telecommunication System |
| Volume I - Global Aspects |
The President of WMO has approved the addition of new country identifiers for use in the GTS abbreviated headings (Attachment II-5 - Data designators T1T2A1A2ii):
| Identifier |
Country |
| BT |
Bhutan |
| EI |
Eritrea |
| FM |
Micronesia |
| OO |
Monaco |
| NE |
Niue |
| SS |
South Sudan |
|
| Published: 29 April 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| TAO NetCDF Datasets, Data Management Notice |
| Notification from the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) |
On 15 September 2014 NDBC started distributing TAO refresh data via a new NetCDF format on their data download page: http://tao.ndbc.noaa.gov/tao/data_download/search_map.shtml. This new data file will include the following changes:
1. Updates from Climate and Forecast convention 1.4 to 1.6 and OceanSITES-1.2 to OceanSITES-1.3 conventions;
2. A subset of existing TAO netCDF data files in the OceanSITES GDACs are replaced by the new data files. The files being replaced are listed as follow:
OS*_R_AIRT.nc, OS*_R_ATMS.nc, OS*_R_FLUX.nc, OS*_R_OCUR.nc, OS*_R_PRES.nc, OS*_R_PSAL.nc, OS*_R_PSTN.nc, OS*_R_TEMP.nc, OS*_R_WIND.nc;
3. All existing historical TAO legacy data files in earlier formats in the NDBC THREDDS Data Server are replaced by the new data files.
The TAO data files replaced are as follows:
These files will be available and posted on NDBC public website until 11 May 2015.
Based upon the above change NDBC recommends that all users of TAO NetCDF data review the new data files at their earliest convenience for easy migration of their data processing.
More information on CF-1.6 and OceanSITES is available at:
http://cfconventions.org/
http://www.oceansites.org/documents/index.html |
| Published: 28 April 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| CODES |
| WMO No. 306 - Manual on Codes, Volume II - Regional Codes and National Coding Practices |
| Notification from Finland |
1. Amendments to the Section D, National deviations from global regulations on METAR, SPECI and TAF
2. Amendment to the Section G, Specifications of zone numbers of sub-areas/route segments, notified by Members, for which GAFOR will be provided
3. Editorial correction to Section C, Code table 644
==>View amendments |
| Published: 28 April 2015 |
| |
| WMO No. 306 - Manual on Codes - Adoption of amendments by the fast-track procedure |
In accordance with the fast-track procedure for the adoption of amendments to the Manual on Codes, the Secretariat sent a list of amendments to the focal points for codes and data presentation matters for comments on 6 February 2015.
No objections were received from the focal points. Additional entries to the Common Code tables C-5, C-8 and C-11 were proposed and these will be considered as minor adjustments and "will be done by the Secretary-General in consultation with the president of CBS" in accordance with the fast-track procedure.
The president of CBS has approved the amendments, including the additional ones, on behalf of Executive Council for implementation on 6 May 2015.
The amendments are available in
English,
French,
Russian and
Spanish. |
| Published: 17 April 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| Volume D - Information for Shipping |
| Chapter 4 - Part B - Focal Point Contact Information for Port Meteorological Offices |
Amendments (in country alphabetical order):
|
| Published: 20 April 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
The National Weather Service (NWS) - National Data Buoy Center (NDBC)
Distribution of Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) data via BUFR |
| Correction - National Data Buoy Center (NDBC), Distribution of Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO), data via BUFR under ISSF08 KWNB and ISSG08 KWNB headers |
| Notification from RTH Washington |
The NWS NDBC will being dissemination of TAO data in BUFR format under the WMO headings collective of IOBF08 KWNB and IOBG08 KWNB. The current ASCII formatted messages in FM18 BUOY will continue to be distributed under the SSVX08 KWNB header.
IOBF08 KWNB will be used for all TAO stations with a nominal position east of 180.
IOBG08 KWNB will be used for all TAO stations with a nominal position on or west of 180.
All users currently receiving the SSVX08 KWNB headers have automatically been added to the distribution of IOBF08 KWNB and IOBG08 KWNB. Therefore effective 2 March 2015 data will be received in both FM18 BUOY and BUFR format.
Users with automatic decoders should reprogram their systems now to recognize the new bulletin headers and the BUFR format for these observations. At present time NDBC has no plans to discontinue our TAO distribution in the FM18 BUOY format.
If you have any questions about these changes, contact:
REX HERVEY
NATIONAL DATA BUOY CENTER
W/OPS51 BUILDING 3203
STENNIS SPACE CENTER MISSISSIPPI 39529
PHONE: 228-688-3007
E-MAIL: REX.HERVEY@NOAA.GOV
This and other NWS technical implementation notices are available at: HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM
This information is also posted on: HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/DATAMGMT/NOTICES.SHTML |
|
| Published: 07 March 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| Additional Data and Products - Resolution 40 (Cg-XII) |
| Notification from Deutscher Wetterdienst |
That they have amended their list of additional data and products according to Resolution 40 (Cg-XII). The amended list can be found at: Additional Data ¦ Additional Products
|
|
|
Web page: International Exchange of "Additional" Data and Products |
| Published: 04 March 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| Volume D - Information for Shipping |
| Chapter 4 - Part B - Focal Point Contact Information for Port Meteorological Offices |
Amendments (in country alphabetical order):
|
| Published: 17 March 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| |
| GTS regulatory or guidance material |
| Allocation of data designators CCCC for use in abbreviated headings of meteorological messages |
Effective immediately delete identifier LIJR and include the following new designator CCCC for use in the abbreviated heading T1T2A1A2ii CCCC:
Location indicator (CCCC): EUSR
Location Name: European Space Research Institute (Frascati)
Country Name: Italy
Location indicator (CCCC): EJRC
Location Name: Joint Research Centre (Ispra)
Country Name: Italy
|
|
| Published: 18 February 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| GTS regulatory or guidance material |
| Allocation of data designators T1T2A1A2ii CCCC for use in abbreviated headings of meteorological messages |
Effective immediately include the following geographical designator A1A2 for use in the abbreviated heading T1T2A1A2ii CCCC:
Country Name: Bhutan
RTH Centre: New Delhi (India)
Country/Territory (AA) designator: BT
Location indicator (CCCC): BTBH
Effective immediately include the following new CCCC:
Country Name: Kazakhstan
Addition Centre from Kazakhstan: Astana
Location indicator (CCCC): UAST
|
|
| Published: 29 January 2015 |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
