Status and Plans
New Centre of Excellence in Morocco Located in the WMO Regional Association I (RAI), the CoE Morocco is hosted by the National Directorate of Meteorology of Morocco and supported by EUMETSAT.
VLab Management Group Meetings Face to Face Meetings The sixth meeting of the VLab Management Group (VLMG-6) took place at the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) in São José dos Campos, Brazil, 8-11 October 2012. The next VLMG face-to-face meeting will take place in Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, July 2014.
VLab Management Group Meetings Online Meetings Two online meetings took place in 2012 (March and June) and one in March 2013. Each online meeting is organised as a set of two mirror sessions, offered at different times. The next VLMG online meetings will take place on the 13 and 14 June 2013.
Training Opportunities 2011/2012: Regional Focus Groups (RFG) Offered monthly by RFG Americas and Caribbean and the Caribbean Weather Discussion Group. On a less frequent basis, sessions by the RFG South Africa, CoEs Australia and Niger; Event Weeks Two event weeks on the topic of Aviation were organised in 2012 by CoE Barbados (April) and CoE Australia (July); RGB Workshop - organised by WMO and EUMETSAT in September 2012 in Seeheim (Germany), in liaison with, and support to, the VLab and the WMO Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project (SWFDP); Other online and classroom courses organised by VLab CoEs summed up to a total of 48 courses.
Latest Training Opportunities - 2013: Precipitation Week This training week consisted of eight online sessions dealing with the monitoring of precipitation from space. The event comprised three topics: 1.VIS/IR Precipitation Estimates, 2.Microwave Precipitation Estimates, and 3.Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimates. Event: Precipitation Week Date: 4-8 February 2013 Initiative: Online sessions: EUMETSAT eight Registered*: 881 Attended live*: 547 33 countries Played the recorded 72 session** * Numbers presented are the total for the 8 sessions. ** Data from 24/05/2013 Resources available at EUMETSAT Training Zone http://training.eumetsat.int/mod/folder/view.php?id=480 5
Latest Training Opportunities - 2013: WMO/NOAA Train the Trainer Workshop for WMO RA III/IV This Workshop preceded the 2013 NOAA Satellite Conference (8-12 April). It was organised by VLab and the WMO Space Programme, and supported by NOAA as hosts. The event had 22 participants. Main topics: GEONETCast (GNC); Supporting systems, EUMETCast, HRIT/EMWIN/LRIT, GEONETCast- Americas, and GOES Data Collection System; Review of regional requirements and integration of regional dissemination systems; System demonstrations.
WMO/NOAA Train the Trainer Workshop for WMO RA III/IV Workshop participants raised some key concerns: In Central and South America and the Caribbean, operational users of satellite data from GOES and other systems require a low-cost, operational and sustained data dissemination system building on GNC-A and EUMETCast. Arrangements for cost-sharing, e.g. of bandwidth fees, should be developed with urgency. Training on the use of satellite data and associated visualization, processing and analysis tools should be made available, taking into account the different needs and skills of satellite data users. Training should in particular involve preparing users from the region for GOES-R.
WMO/NOAA Train the Trainer Workshop for WMO RA III/IV Workshop participants raised some key concerns: The proposed standing coordination group for satellite data requirements in RA III and IV should establish user needs for data, products, training, and associated issues (e.g., data formats). The group should ensure linkage to and follow-up by satellite providers at the appropriate level, and represent the needs of a wide variety of users in the region.
This is a series of online events covering the information on the new WMO regulations on Aviation Meteorology Competency and related matters. The event has been presented in English, Spanish, French and Russian. Latest Training Opportunities - 2013: Virtual Round Table on Competence Requirements for Aeronautical Meteorological Personnel Organised by VLab in collaboration with the WMO Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology Expert Team on Education, Training and Competences (CAeM ET/ETC) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),
Latest Training Opportunities - 2013: English Version Presented by Kathy-Ann Caesar and Adanna Robertson-Quimby (CIMH, VLab Barbados) Event: Virtual Round Table on Competence Requirements for Aeronautical Meteorological Personnel VRT - English Date: 27 March 2013 Initiative: VLab Registered: 103 Attended live: Played the recorded session*: * Data from 24/05/2013 34 connections 20 Resources available at VLab website http://www.wmo-sat.info/vlab/virtual-table/
Latest Training Opportunities - 2013: Virtual Round Table on Competence Requirements for Aeronautical Meteorological Personnel Spanish Version Presented by Vilma Castro - VLab Costa Rica. Event: VRT - Spanish Date: 8 May 2013 Initiative: VLab Registered: 110 21 countries WMO-RA: I, II, III, IV, VI Attended live: 39 participants 12 countries WMO-RA: III, IV, VI Played the recorded session: * Data from 24/05/2013 26 11 countries WMO-RA: III, IV, VI Resources available at VLab website http://www.wmo-sat.info/vlab/virtual-table/
Latest Training Opportunities - 2013: Virtual Round Table on Competence Requirements for Aeronautical Meteorological Personnel French Version Presented by Hamidou Hama- ASECNA - VLab Niger. Event: VRT - French Date: 15 May 2013 Initiative: VLab Registered: 42 25 countries WMO-RA: I, III, IV, VI Attended live: 45 participants 19 countries WMO-RA: I, III, IV, VI Played the recorded session*: * Data from 24/05/2013 11 9 countries WMO-RA: I, IV, VI Resources available at VLab website http://www.wmo-sat.info/vlab/virtual-table/
Latest Training Opportunities - 2013: Virtual Round Table on Competence Requirements for Aeronautical Meteorological Personnel Upcoming: VRT - Russian Version To be presented by Kate Chumak Roshydromet Aviamettelekom - VLab Russian Federation.
This is a series of online events about the direct readout capabilities of polar orbiting systems. EUMETSAT started this series of events by presenting two sessions about the EPS/Metop. Upcoming: NOAA sessions Latest Training Opportunities - 2013: Satellite Direct Readout Event Event: Satellite Direct Readout Date: 7-8 May 2013 Initiative: VLab Online sessions: two Registered*: 63 18 countries All WMO-RA Attended live*: 25 connections 12 countries WMO-RA: I, III, IV, VI Played the recorded session**: 10 6 countries WMO-RA: III, IV, VI * Numbers presented are the total for the 2 sessions. ** Data from 24/05/2013 Resources available at VLab website http://www.wmo-sat.info/vlab/satellite-direct-readout/
Latest Training Opportunities - 2013: World Wide Weather Briefing This training week consisted of nine online sessions focusing on challenges that forecasters have to face around the globe. The presenters from Canada, USA, Brazil, Portugal, Oman, South Africa, Germany, Russia, South Korea and Australia guided the audience through the regional weather characteristics. Event: Precipitation Week Date: 20-24 May 2013 Initiative: Online sessions: EUMeTrain nine Registered*: 814 Attended live*: 448 34 countries Played the recorded 8 session** * Numbers presented are the total for the 9 sessions. ** Data from 24/05/2013 Resources will be available at EUMeTrain website http://www.eumetrain.org/events/www_briefing_2013.ht ml
Coordination with Partners Programmes: EUMETCAL collaboration on a training session for trainers at the Eumetcal Workshop, Exeter, UK - March 2012; COSPAR - Capacity Building Workshop on Remote Sensing of the Global Water Circulation to Climate Change, Beijing, China September 2012; WMO/KMA RA-II Pilot Project - VLab Training Event held in conjunction with the 3rd Asia/Oceania Meteorological Satellites Users Conference. Jincheon, Republic of Korea October 2012; EUMeTrain VLab members presenting weather briefings at the World Wide Weather Briefing, online event, May 2013.
Plans From VLMG-6 Widening the scope of VLab To address additional application areas for training, in line with the VLab 5-year strategy and WMO priorities. Emphasis will be given to conduct new training courses for climate, marine and land surface applications.
Plans From VLMG-6 Keep up to date with VLab Activities at http://vlab.wmo.int Online Calendar of Events VLab News Regional Focus Groups Projects VLab Newsletter