Tim Oakley, GCOS Implementation Manager

1. Global Climate Observing System CBS ET-SBO WMO, Geneva 9th – 12th July 2013 Tim Oakley, GCOS Implementation Manager

2. What does GCOS do? The vision of GCOS is that all users have access to the climate observations, data records and information which they require to address pressing climate-related concerns. GCOS users include individuals, national and international organizations, institutions and agencies. The role of GCOS is to work with partners to ensure the sustained provision of reliable physical, chemical and biological observations and data records for the total climate system – across the atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial domains, including hydrological and carbon cycles and the cryosphere.

3. GCOS and WIGOS GCOS covers the climate components of WMO and co-sponsored observing systems for atmosphere, ocean and land, and other climate-observation initiatives: GCOS assesses progress and requirements, advises on implementation WIGOS provides a new framework for integration and coordination Mutual interests include network design, designation and quality

5. What do I do? • Whilst GCOS works with all the 50 GCOS Essential Climate Variables (ECV’s) with equal priority, in practice my work as the Implementation Manager is currently focused on 2 networks: • GSN (GCOS Surface Network, which also now includes the Regional Baseline Climate Network RBCN) • GUAN (GCOS Upper Air Network).

6. GSN Network

7. GSN & GUAN Network

8. GCOS Minimum Requirements • GUAN • Temperature up to 30hPa • Humidity up to tropopause • Wind direction/speed to 30hPa • 1 report - 25 days each month • TEMP message GSN • Monthly means of daily maximum, minimum and mean temperature • Monthly precipitation amounts • If only monthly values, number of days in calculation • Monthly CLIMAT message http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/gcos/Publications/GCOS-144_en.pdf

9. Actions from AOPC (April 2013) relevant to ET-SBO (1) • Requirements and Capability database’s • Importance of dataset assessment and intercomparisons • BUFR – surface and upper-air (monthly & daily) • Work of lead centres – monitoring • Metadata and site classification • GSN & GUAN – network review, prioritisation, other networks

10. Actions from AOPC (April 2013) relevant to ET-SBO (2) • GAW – recognise the emerging networks for atmospheric composition. Integrated products... • GRUAN – working towards operations • GNSS-PW – global network • Higher spatial and temporal resolution • Communications and routing of messages/data

11. CLIMAT Message monitoring (DWD)

12. Table 1:Rate of erroneous (flag 4 and 5) data for temperature-elements and precipitation in CLIMAT reports in 2012 for the different regions and overall GSN Network

13. ECMWF Monitoring

14. GUAN – NCEP Monitoring (Monthly)

15. Pacific Islands Nauru

16. CBS Lead centres for GCOS

17. Primary GCOS contribute to/benefit from ET outputs • Collaboration – linking GCOS with CBS/CIMO & WIGOS • Network review/design • Metadata & Regulatory Material • Monitoring centres and practices • Telecommunications, coding and data availability • Network ‘gaps’, complementary observations and expanding networks/third party data. • Quality Management

18. Thank you