Welcome to the SG-SWFDP pages

The Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project (SWFDP) is an initiative to further explore and enhance the use of outputs of existing NWP systems, including ensemble prediction systems (EPS). It aims to contribute to capacity-building and to help developing countries in particular to have available and implement the best possible use of existing NWP products for improving warnings of hazardous weather conditions and weather-related hazards. Global-scale products, as well as data and information provided by other regional centres, are integrated and synthesized by a designated Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC), which, in turn, provides daily guidance for short-range (days 1 and 2) and medium-range (out to day-5) on specified hazardous phenomena (e.g. heavy rain, damaging waves, etc) to participating National Meteorological Centres of the region. This is a “Cascading” concept of the forecasting process.

The SWFDP has successfully improved severe weather forecasting through increased access to, and more effective use of outputs of numerical weather prediction systems for weather forecasters, who in turn have improved the delivery of warning services. The SWFDP represents a systematic and practical approach for building capacity, and for transferring new knowledge and skills. Two demonstration projects are now in progress. The SWFDP has been implemented successfully and is now being expanded to include all sixteen countries of southern Africa (RA I) and to span all seasons and a number of meteorological and related hazards (heavy rain, strong winds, large waves, cold temperatures, etc.). A second project is also in implementation for four South Pacific Islands (RA V) which addresses heavy rains, strong winds, and damaging waves. SWFDP regional subprojects for Southeast Asia (RA II) and Eastern Africa (RA I) are in planning stage, and others are being in consideration.

These pages are intended to be used by the SG-SWFDP for developing documents and plans for the SWFDP.

Terms of Reference for the Steering Group for the SWFDP (SG-SWFDP):

A SG-SWFDP is established with a chairperson served by the Chairperson of the CBS OPAG on DPFS. It comprises experts from the various Regional Associations and the CBS Rapporteur on Applications of NWP in Severe Weather Forecasting. The role of the SG-SWFDP is to define the demonstration project, to select the candidate centres for the regional subprojects, to follow closely the progress of each of these subprojects and to draw conclusions after the achievement of the whole SWFDP.

Tasks of the SG-SWFDP:

(a) The SG-SWFDP examines the preparatory work elaborated for the SWFDP and finalizes the Overall Project Plan, and the set of criteria to be fulfilled by the candidate centres for setting up regional subprojects.

(b) The SG-SWFDP selects the participating centres for the implementation of regional subprojects and finalizes the various regional subproject planning.

(c) The SG-SWFDP follows up the progress of the Regional Subproject(s). Regular reports are expected from the regional subprojects, at a minimum of once every 3 months.

(d) The appropriate member of the SG-SWFDP is invited to participate in the organization, planning and implementation of the Regional Subproject.

(e) The SG-SWFDP is responsible for issuing a final report on the SWFDP and preparing recommendations to be transmitted to the relevant WMO bodies.

Forum

discussion forum

Documentation

- Meeting Report of the Third Session of the SG-SWFDP (Geneva, Switzerland, 23-26 February 2010)
- SWFDP Overall Project Plan
- SWFDP Guidebook on Developing Regional Subprojects