WMO

The WMO concept of standards and guidelines

GCW CryoNet Team Meeting (Reykjavik, Iceland, 20-22 January 2014)

Dr M. Ondráš

Chief, WMO Observing Systems Division

WMO; Name of Department (ND)

Outline

1. About WMO

2. Standardization within WMO and relevance to GCW

3. Recommendations for standardization in CryoNet

WMO Organigram

WMO Convention(Part II, Article 2, Purposes)

(a) To facilitate worldwide cooperation in the establishment of networks of stations for the making of meteorological observations as well as hydrological and other geophysical observations related to meteorology, and…;

(b) To promote the establishment and maintenance of systems for the rapid exchange of meteorological and related information;

(c) To promote standardization of meteorological and related observations and to ensure the uniform publication of observations and statistics;

(d) …

General Regulation of WMO ( Annex III, Structure and TOR of the Technical Commissions)

I. Basic Commissions• CBS – (A)• CIMO – (A)• CHy – (A)• CAS – (B)

(A) Basic operations and facilities(B) Research in Atmospheric sciences

II. Applications Commissions • CAeM – (C)• CAgM - (C)• JCOMM - (C) • CCl - (C)

Develop, for consideration by the Executive Council and Congress, proposed international standards for methods, procedures, techniques and practices in meteorology and operational hydrology including, in particular, the relevant parts of the Technical Regulations, guides and manuals.

(C) Applications to economic and social activities

What is a standard?

There are many definitions of a 'standard'. Very generally, a standard might simply be defined as 'a set of rules for ensuring quality'.

ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004, definition 3.2 defines a standard as:

document established by consensus and approved by a recognized body that provides for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context.

NOTE: Standards should be based on the consolidated results of science, technology and experience, and aimed at the promotion of optimum community benefits.

WMO as a standards organization

Working arrangements between ISO and WMO: ISO has recognized WMO as an international standardization

body through ISO Council Resolution 43/2007

WMO is listed on the web as a standard-making organization, e.g.:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_technical_standard_organisations

WMO Technical Regulations - History Pre-WMO (1873-1951):

IMO created some Technical Resolutions that established the basis for future regulation and standardization

WMO: Cg-I (1951):

Interim arrangements – Res 4 (Cg-I) extended the validity of the IMO technical resolutions untilthe preparation of the new WMO TRs

Cg-II (1955): Res 17 (Cg-II) – Defined the WMO Technical

Regulations and the terms “standard meteorological practices and procedures” and “recommended meteorological practices and procedures”

Res 18 (Cg-II) – Definition of the Guides of WMO still valid and available in WMO-No.508)

Res 19 (Cg-II) – Adopted the Technical Regulations (Vol I and Vol II) for implementation as of 1 July 1956

Res 20 (Cg-II) – Notification of deviations from standard meteorological practices and procedures (“standards”) further amended by Cg-III 1955 to include notification of compliance.

1956

WMO Technical Regulations - History Cg-VI (1971):

Introduced the concept of Manuals as Annexes to the Technical Regulations; Manual on the GTS became Annex III; the global aspects of Annexes consist standards and recommendations (same status as the TRs); approval of amendments by the EC

Adopted Volume III – Operational Hydrology Cg-VII (1975):

Alignment of the TRs with the World Weather Watch

After Cg-X (1987): Edition 1988 was published and remained valid

with some Supplements until Cg-XVI in 2011 EC-60 (2008):

Approved the Working Arrangements betweenISO and WMO

Cg-XVI (2011): Res 45: called for revision of the regulatory documents in a systematic manner

and ensure that the published versions of the regulatory documents can be used as reference documentation; adopted Volume IV, Quality

201

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WMO Technical Regulations – Composition

test footer 10

StandardStandard practices and procedures

RecommendedRecommended practices and procedures

necessary for Members to follow or implement desirable for Members to follow or implement

distinguished by the use of the term shall distinguished by the use of the term should

status of requirements status of recommendations

Members shall do their utmost to implement Members urged to comply with

Article 9(b) of the Convention (report of the inability to implement a decision) is applicable

Article 9(b) of the Convention is not applicable

GR 128 (notification of non-compliance within 90 days) is applicable

GR 128 is not applicable

Types of regulations - SPPs and RPPsdefined by Congress (Res 17 (Cg-II)), currently included in the General Provisions of TRs and Introduction part of Manuals

• Basic SARPs (definitive)• Mostly requirement-driven• Approval by Congress (in principle)• Relatively Conservative

• More detailed SARPs (procedures and specifications)

• Mostly technology-driven• Approval delegated to EC• Relatively Dynamic

• Procedures and practices• Implementation guidance• Explanations• Examples, good practice• Flexible updates

“Shall”and “Should”have specificmeaning

“Shall”and “Should”have ordinarymeaning

WMO Technical Regulations - Composition

WMO Technical Regulations - Composition

WMO Technical Regulations – Basic Documents No. 2, WMO-No.49:

Volume I General Meteorological Standards and Recommended Practices

Volume II Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation

Volume III Hydrology

Volume IV Quality Management

WMO Technical Regulations - Composition WMO Technical Regulations - Basic Documents No. 2, WMO-No.49 -

Annexes: Annex I International Cloud Atlas (WMO-No. 407), Volume I

– Manual on the Observation of Clouds and Other Meteors, (in part)

Annex II Manual on Codes (WMO-No. 306), Volume I.1 (Part A - Alphanumeric Codes); Volume I.2 (Part B

- Binary Codes, Part C - Common Features to Binary and Alphanumeric Codes)

Annex III Manual on the Global Telecommunication System (WMO- No. 386), Volume I

Annex IV Manual on the Global Data-processing and Forecasting System (WMO-No.485), Volume I

Annex V Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Volume I

Annex VI Manual on Marine Meteorological Services (WMO-No. 558),

Volume I Annex VII Manual on the WMO Information System (WMO-No. 1060)

Annex VIII Manual on the Implementation of Education and Training Standards in Meteorology and

Hydrology (WMO-No. 1083) Annex IX WIGOS Manual (for consideration by Cg-17 in 2015)

Manual on the Global Observing System, WMO-No. 544

Part I. General Principles Regarding the Organization, Design and Implementation of the Global Observing System

Part II. Requirements for Observational Data - WMO Rolling Review of Requirements

Part III. & Part IV Surface- and Space-based Subsystems: Composition & Implementation of Elements

Part V. Quality Control

http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/OSY/Manuals_GOS.html

Draft structure of the WIGOS sections in the WMO Technical Regulations, WMO-No.49(as decided by EC-65 in May 2013)

VOLUME I – General Standards and Recommended Practices

PART I. WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS)

I.1 IntroductionI.2 Common attributes of component systemsI.3 Common attributes specific to the surface-based sub-system of

WIGOSI.4 Common attributes specific to the space-based sub-system of

WIGOSI.5 Observing component of the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW)I.6 Observing component of the Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW)I.7 Global Observing System (GOS) of WWWI.8 WMO Hydrological Observing System (ref. Vol. III)

WIGOS Manual

1. Introduction to WIGOS2. Common attributes of component systems3. Common attributes specific to the surface-based sub-

system of WIGOS4. Common attributes specific to the space-based sub-system

of WIGOS

5. Observing component of the global atmosphere watch (GAW)

6. Observing component of the global cryosphere watch (GCW)

7. Global observing system (GOS) of www8. Wmo hydrological observing system

WIGOS Manual – Section 5 “GAW”

5.1 Requirements5.2 Design, planning and evolution

5.2.1Review of observational user requirements

5.2.2Review of current and planned observing systems capabilities

5.2.3Monitoring observing systems implementation

5.3 Instrumentation and Methods of Observation

5.3.1General Requirements of Instruments/Sensor

5.3.2General Requirements of (Observing Systems)

5.3.3Calibration and Traceability5.3.4Data and Metadata

Representation and Format5.3.5General Requirements of

GAW Stations5.3.6Methods of Observation

5.4 Operations5.4.1 Observing Practices5.4.2 Quality

Assurance/Control/Monitoring/Evaluation

5.4.3 Data and Metadata Reporting5.4.4 Incident Management (Control)5.4.5 Change Management – need a

cross reference to 5.6.2.25.4.6 Maintenance (Preventative,

Corrective and Adaptive)5.4.7 Calibration procedures

5.5 Observational Metadata 5.5.1 Instrument metadata5.5.2 Site/Station/Platform metadata 5.5.3 Network metadata5.5.4 Quality metadata5.5.5 Interpretation metadata5.5.6 Maintenance metadata

5.6 Quality Management 5.7 Capacity Development

WMO Technical Regulations - Implementation

Through the TRs, WMO has established an international (global) regulatory framework enabling a harmonized and standardized conduct of the meteorological, hydrological and climatological activities;

TRs require all Members to align their national practices with specified set of standard and recommended practices and procedures;

The enforcement of the international regulatory framework should be achieved through the “translation” of the TRs into appropriate national legislation and regulation, which each Member establishes for the conduct of meteorological, hydrological and climatological activities;

WMO Convention (e.g., Article 9) and General Regulations (e.g., GR 128) apply.

Other WMO Regulatory Material

1. Guides (recommended practices): Guides on GOS, GDPFS, GTS, Guide to Met. Instruments and Methods of

Observation Guide to Hydro Practices Guides to Practices or Services for different app areas,

such as Climatology, Agrometeorology, Aviation, Marine

2. Other Technical Documents needed for general understanding, such as technical reports, vocabulary, etc.

Guide to Meteorological Instruments and Methods of Observation, WMO-No. 8

Comprehensive und up-to-date guidance on the most effective practices for making meteorological observations and measurements

Describes instruments, systems and techniques in regular use from the simplest to the most complex

Does not describe instruments and methods to be used only for research or experiments

1st edition 1954 Latest edition 2010 updated in 2012

http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/IMOP/publications/CIMO-Guide/CIMO_Guide-7th_Edition-2008.html

WMO Regulatory Material http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/lsp/meteoterm_wmo_en.html

International Meteorological Vocabulary& METEOTERM

• Aimed at standardizing the terminology used in

this field and at facilitating communication

between specialists speaking different

languages

• 1st edition in 1967,

• Last hard copy edition 1992

(3500 terms in four languages)

• Further updates in digital : METEOTERM

Recommendation for standardization in CryoNet

1. Review of existing practices (being done)2. Define standard (shall) and recommended (should)

practices to be included in the WMO TRs3. Define standard (shall) and recommended (should)

practices to be included in the Manual on WIGOS (Annex to WMO TRs)

4. Define detailed procedure and practices, implementation guidelines, explanations, examples, good practice to be included in the GCW Guide

5. Develop a work plan, members’ responsibilities, deadlines6. Develop a roadmap (respect deadlines for Cg-17):

WMO TR final version in May/June 2014 WIGOS Manual final version in May/June 2014 GCW Guide before CryoNet is operational

www.wmo.int

Thank you for your attention

http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/polar/index_en.html

http://globalcryospherewatch.org/reference/glossary.php