www.meted.ucar.edu

Dr. Elizabeth PageThe COMET® Program

Safe Skies for Africa Meteorological Training Efforts

Addressing Aviation Safety Challenges in Central Africa Workshop7-9 August 2012

www.meted.ucar.edu

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Distance Learning Development

www.meted.ucar.edu

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Learner Engagement

www.meted.ucar.edu

Founded in 1990 Staff of 34Over 79,200 total

International Users

223 total countriesOver 650 hours of

online distance learning

239,000 registered MetEd users

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COMET Fast Facts

www.meted.ucar.edu

meted.ucar.edu

MetEd en español www.meted.ucar.edu/index_es.htm

COMET Websites

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comet.ucar.edu

www.meted.ucar.edu

Aviation ClimateConvective

Weather

Marine/Oceans

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Coastal Weather

Emergency Management

Environment and Society Wildland Fire Fog

HydrometeorologyMesoscale

Meteorology

www.meted.ucar.edu

QMS

ASMET

RadarMeteorology

Space Weather

Satellite Meteorology

Tropical Meteorology

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Other TopicsAtmospheric

DustNumerical Weather

PredictionVolcanic Ash

www.meted.ucar.edu

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COMET in Africa

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Module Usage

African Satellite

Meteorological Education Training (ASMET)

QMS Training Online

Tropical Textbook

Total MetEd Registrants in Africa: 4,422

January 2007 – July 2012

www.meted.ucar.edu

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South Africa; 1460

Egypt; 364

Nigeria; 344Algeria; 243

Kenya; 193Ethiopia; 179

Tanzania; 126

Botswana; 110

Mauritius; 97

Ghana; 96

Morocco; 93

Zimbabwe; 93

Mozambique; 77

Angola; 61

Uganda; 58

Sudan; 54

Zambia; 54Tunisia; 52

Senegal; 46Reunion; 43

Madagascar; 42Niger; 41Malawi; 39

Namibia; 38Cameroon; 36

Djibouti; 28Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; 27

Benin; 26Cape Verde; 24

Liberia; 20

Top 10 Modules in Africawww.meted.ucar.edu

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Model Fu

ndamen

tals

Tropica

l Textb

ook Ch 9

Skew-T

Mastery

Impact

of Model S

tructu

re an

d Dynam

ics

Understan

ding the H

ydro

logic Cycl

e

Ensem

ble Fo

recasti

ng Exp

lained

Understan

ding Dro

ught

Hurrican

e Stri

ke!

Mountain/Vall

ey Bree

zes

The E

l Nino So

uthern Osci

llation

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

www.meted.ucar.edu

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African Satellite Meteorological Education Training

(ASMET)

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www.meted.ucar.edu

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ASMET1997 - 2013

Five modules published on satellite interpretation for Africa2011: Published three case studies on flooding in Africa2012: Publishing three additional modules for East, West, and South AfricaCOMET created and maintains ASMET website

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www.meted.ucar.edu

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ICAO Mandate

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) deadline of November 2012 for all aviation weather services to have QMS in place

VOLUME II Meteorological

service for international air navigation

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www.meted.ucar.edu

What:

A one-hour online module supporting implementation initiatives by National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) of an effective Quality Management Systems (QMS) based on the ISO 9001: 2008 quality management standard.

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www.meted.ucar.edu

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www.meted.ucar.edu

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Introduction to Tropical Meteorology

• Peer-reviewed, academically rigorous treatment

• Rich in media, data, practical applications

• Intended for undergraduates and early graduate students

• Covers the fundamental science of the tropical atmosphere

• Synthesizes the tremendous increase in knowledge of tropical meteorology during the past two decades

Online textbook in

Tropical Meteorology

www.meted.ucar.edu

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Introduction to Tropical Meteorology

• Tropical Remote Sensing• Global Circulations• Tropical Variability• Distribution of Moisture &

Precipitation• Tropical Cyclones• Observation, Analysis, and

Prediction

Online Tropical Meteorology Textbook Chapters

www.meted.ucar.edu

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Examples from Tropical Textbook

www.meted.ucar.edu

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Examples from Tropical Textbook

www.meted.ucar.edu

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Aviation High Impact Events

www.meted.ucar.edu

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Space Weather Impacts on Aviation

Explains how solar events can impact Earth and aviation operations

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www.meted.ucar.edu

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Volcanic Ash (four modules)

IntroductionVolcanismImpacts on Aviation, Climate, Maritime Operations, and SocietyObservation Tools and Dispersion Models

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www.meted.ucar.edu

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Safe Skies for Africa Project

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Working with African training centers and meteorological service organizations to improve aeronautical forecasts

www.meted.ucar.edu

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Safe Skies for Africa Project Development

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Review of Aeronautical Meteorology

Distance Learning Course

(RAMDL)

Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and

Hydrology (CIMH) Aeronautical Continuing

Professional Development Course

Safe Skies for Africa (SSFA)

Project

UCAR – ASECNA Activities

Copyright 2007, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. All rights reserved.

ASECNA – UCAR MOU Establishes a collaboration to support ASECNA’s

aeronautical meteorological modernization initiatives Focuses on technology enhancements that improve:

Flight safety Airspace capacity and efficiency Flight operations and flow

Anticipating cooperative projects that include, aeronautical meteorological research, training, and technology development and implementation

Improve diagnosis and prediction of: Wind shear Turbulence In-flight icing Ceiling and visibility Thunderstorm hazards

Initial focus will be a study of wind shear risks for several airports

www.meted.ucar.edu

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ICAO/WMO CompetenciesRequired by November 2013

Analyze and monitor continuously the weather situationForecast aeronautical meteorological phenomena and parametersWarn of hazardous phenomenaEnsure quality of meteorological information of serviceCommunicate meteorological information to internal and external users

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www.meted.ucar.edu

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Review of Aeronautical Meteorology Distance Learning

(RAMDL) Course

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www.meted.ucar.edu

Adapt RAMDL to Caribbean

Assess competency of Aeronautical Meteorological Forecasters (AMF)

Offer review of aeronautical meteorology course

Capture critical additions for COMET RAMDL course

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Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH)

Barbados

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www.meted.ucar.edu

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Working With African Training Programs

www.meted.ucar.edu Aviation Module Adaptations

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www.meted.ucar.edu Aviation Module Adaptations

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www.meted.ucar.edu

Nowcasting

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New Training Efforts

Nowcasting is forecasting

how weather conditions

will change in the very near

future

www.meted.ucar.edu

WRF EMS Aviation Parameters

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New Training Efforts

Weather forecast model run in some African countries.

This example is from Kenya

www.meted.ucar.edu

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WRF EMS is a self-contained, complete, full physics, end-to-end forecasting system

WRF-EMSThe Weather & Research Forecast (WRF) Environmental Modeling System

(EMS) was developed by the US NWS to facilitate use of local models in forecast offices and National centers

www.meted.ucar.edu

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WRF-EMS Model Use

www.meted.ucar.edu

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Distribution of Distance Learning in Africa

Internet connectivity constraints will require training be distributed

on DVD/flash drives

Quizzes will be accomplished on the

internet

EUMETCAST download is being investigated

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www.meted.ucar.edu

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Safe Skies

for Africa

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Year OneEngage African Organizations

Create Working Group

Understand aeronautical forecasting in Africa

Assess RAMDL adaptation needs

Evaluate dissemination options

www.meted.ucar.edu

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Safe Skies

for Africa

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Year Two

Adapt current material and develop African case studies

Develop a French translation plan

Implement dissemination plan

Plan Train the Trainer workshops and virtual refresher courses

www.meted.ucar.edu

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Safe Skies

for Africa

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Year Three

Complete adaptation of RAMDL

Complete French translations of highest priority modules

Support Train the Trainer workshop

Guide development of virtual refresher courses

www.meted.ucar.edu

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The EndQuestions?

Contact:epage@comet.ucar.edu

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