Enhancing Meteorological Services in Jamaican Archipelago

2. Lawrence P. Brown Head of Forecasting Section National Meteorological Centre Email: l.brown@metservice.gov.jm RA-IV WIGOS Implementation Workshop 1 - 3 December, Willemstad Curacao Meteorological Service Jamaica

3. Outline of the presentation • Vision and Mission • National Observing Issues or Needs • Plans for the observing networks • WIGOS Implementation Status • Summary

4. Vision of the Jamaican Government and NMS Government Vision JAMAICA, THE PLACE OF CHOICE TO LIVE, WORK, RAISE FAMILIES, AND DO BUSINESS” Meteorological Service Vision To be the premier provider of weather and climate services in the Caribbean.

5. MSJMission Statement: • to take full advantage of man's present knowledge of weather and climate; • to take steps to improve significantly that knowledge and to foresee and prevent potential man-made changes in climate that might be adverse to the well-being of humanity."

7. Staff composition and related area • Administrative Branch: 20 officers 2. Climate Branch: 19 officers 3. Weather Branch: 34 officers Competence: All technical staff are trained initially at the regional training centre CIMH Barbados - WMO entry level- and also at the UWI in conjuction with CIMH from there on staff are exposed to the various level of training available at the CIMH and elsewhere.

8. Responsabilitésof the MSJ Climate Branch • Climate services: the dissemination of climate information to the public and private sector user. • Climate Data Management Weather Branch • Aviation services • Marine Forecast Services • General and specific area forecast for land Other sections • Radar observations • Upper Air observations • Sub-Synoptic Station (Montego Bay-SIA)

9. Major Tropical Cyclone and damage over Jamaica Gilbert: Sept 12, 1988 * 45 lives , 4 billion dollars US * 130 mph winds * 19 feet Storm surge and * 32 inches over Jamaica http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/The-day-Gilbert-ravaged-Jamaica_15053181 Wilma: October 8 to 21, 2005 * 3 live over Jamaica 2 after the hurricane due to rising water. * JD3.6b * Sustained significant rainfall for almost 3 weeks * All time lowest central pressure 882 mb

10. Major Tropical Cyclone and damage over Jamaica Ivan Sep 10 weekend 2004 * 17 lives , * JD36.9b * 140 mph wind http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/67006_The-trees-fell-like-soldiers-before-Hurricane-Ivan TS Gustav Aug25 – Sep 1,2008 * 12 lives lost * JD15.5b * 45-70 mph Slow moving T Storm with unprecedented rainfall http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2008/graphics/al07/loop_5W.shtml

11. Major Tropical Cyclone and damage over Jamaica

12. Status of the WMO-reported national observing networks • Summary of the operational status for relevant networks: Our island network consist of network of manual and automatic rain gauges, single Radar, climate stations and two 24hr manned stations at our two international airports. • Are there any silent stations?: Stations 78387 -78399 are assigned to us. we currently observe and transmit regularly from 78397 (MKJP) and 78388 (MKJS). Therefore there are some stations that are not issuing reports.

13. Status of the WMO-reported national observing networks • Is there an existing national/regional database that catalogues your observing networks? • CIMH act as a regional repository for data however the process of archiving and storage of data has changed significantly with the available technology to store large amounts of data. • Are your data and metadata are accessible and shared? • Our data is collected, quality controlled and managed by the climate Branch. The database being used is the CLIDATA which was recently upgraded. There is however no wide scale access of data however data is distributed on request.

14. Plans for the National Observing Networks Weather Branch International airports are to be upgraded to have two AWOS at each runway. The upgrade based on the need stated by ATS is that ceilometers are also being considered. The intention for forecasting is that a new RADAR will be purchased and its operations will also be used to enhance observations for aviation purposes, by this we mean increase wind reports at various levels , more frequent rainfall intensity and duration reports. It is felt that the radar reports will be feed into/ linked to AWS on the ground to maximize its usefulness The current radar is also now linked to a Caribbean composite which affords monitoring of weather phenomena as they traverse the Caribbean basin. Several (over 50) AWS are now installed island wide with more to come. This allows real time access of data for analysis and archiving for climate purposes.

15. Plans for the National Observing Networks • Increase the density and coverage of observing stations both manual and automatic • Procure new radar and ensure access and availability via the internet [part of the Caribbean composite] • Ensure the maintenance of the system through training and capacity building of staff • Integrated the various observing platforms to ensure highest level of usefulness to clients and general population • Coordinate with and build strategic relations with other private and public entities

16. Major needs and gaps in observing capabilities and access • There is a need for broad scale real time feedback of rainfall and weather info occurring on the ground. • There is need for a common platform that will integrate various types of AWS and other observing systems • The island is very mountainous and because of this radar observations are difficult in some areas due to signal blockage by mountains • Island is served by a fairly large network of rain gauges however this ha been reduced over the years and so the gauges density is very lacking in some areas. • The island also have many remote areas and so AWS are required and the number and type of AWS needs to be address

17. How can WMO help?How can RA-IV and Members help? • Expertise: • Training: • Funding

21. WIGOS Implementation Status • Is there an updated National WIGOS Implementation plan/strategy? • plans are in place for increase of AWS by about 20% each year for next 4 years, radar to be replaced within 2-3 years, tide gauges to be increased to 5 within next 2-3 years. • Do you have plans to create and execute such a strategy? Yes. There are projects been pursued to complete this. • Upgrade of the upper air stations • What are your training needs? While we continue to utilize the resources available to us for training where possible, our needs are for short term consultant expertise on the ground (say 3-6 months) in RADAR meteorology, Climatology, IT and system admin, tropical forecast office operations, data processing technology and expertise.

22. WIGOS Implementation Status • Do you have any agreements with your partners? The formal agreement is with the JCAA while the others are informal and based on traditional cooperation. Some entities like for example the UWI Climate Studies Group Mona CSGM, WRA, NIC ODPEM. • Can partners discover and access your data? This is a work in progress. The MSJ would need to have designated staff to coordinate and make this a part of their mandate as this was not pursued. • Davis weather AWS are part of an online network http://www.weatherlink.com/map.php • Aviation based information available online METAR and SYNOP • Internet access from our website http://www.metservice.gov.jm/ [link to observation down at the moment] and by request. HOWEVER MORE WILL BE DONE IN THE FUTURE TO GIVE ACCESS TO REAL TIME DATA

23. WIGOS Implementation Status • Is there an operational Quality Management System for the National Observing system Network or specific component observing system? QMS have been implemented for aviation meteorology and the plan is to extend QMS into all areas of the Service. • Are operational /maintenance processes for observing systems documented and their implementation monitored? Yes: monthly reports are done on failures and maintenance by our instrument and equipment section.

24. Caribbean Radar Composite

25. Summary: the strategic plan Plans are in place for increase of AWS by about 20% each year for next 4 years, radar to be replaced within 2-3 years, tide gauges to be increased to 5 within next 2-3 years. Also Plans are in place to merge the Meteorological Service with the Climate Change Division which would mean increase staff compliment to deal with both observed, forecast and processed data. Also Procure weather satellite package (GOES R) to enhance our operations along with new RADAR And last but not least to have highly trained motivated staff to operate at every level.

26. To Be continued Thank you