The Training Bulletin

Joint newsletter related to new activities and resources
in European meteorological training

// issue XVII - December 2019

Activities & events
//image missing//

Road Weather Event Week

from 9 to 13 December 2019 / Online

EUMeTrain is running an event week on Road Weather in December 2019. Several road weather-related topics will be addressed, with the main focus on winter weather. The target audience is operational meteorologists, but also researchers and developers.

Road weather forecasting can be very challenging, and the communication with customers is a critical part of the whole forecasting process. Regional climatological differences may vary massively, both at a national and international level. However, the forecasting process itself faces the same challenges in different countries. Therefore, the aim of this event is to raise the awareness about different weather phenomena that can affect road conditions. and also to talk about the tools and forecasting methods that are in use in different organisations. Another goal is to present the customer´s side in the field of road maintenance.

The event week is fully virtual, which means the presentations will be done online using the Webex software. Go here to register for the event week.

//image missing//

Convection Working Group

21 to 23 April 2020 / Budapest, Hungary

The Convection Working Group (CWG) is a group of experts in monitoring convection through satellite observations. The group offers a meeting point for researchers, developers and operational users, for exchanging experiences and feedback on operational and experimental applications for monitoring convection.

CWG meets every two years to discuss the recent progress in monitoring convection. The next meeting will be hosted by the Hungarian Meteorological Service (OMSZ) in Budapest, Hungary, 21-23 April, 2020. Topics for this meeting will be the new Imager channels and products, data visualisation for the new generation satellites, satellite vertical profiles, lightning observations from space, Research to Operations conversations, and multi-sensor and integrated approaches.

You can find out more about CWG on the CWG website.

//image missing//

EGU conference in Vienna: Short courses on Ocean, Climate and Atmospheric Composition

3 to 8 May 2020 / Vienna, Austria

During the EGU General Assembly 2020 in Vienna, EUMETSAT will be offering three short courses:

The EUMETSAT Atmospheric Composition Data Stream (Session number: SC1.21)

A hands-on session, supported by Earth Observation and Model experts, to discover and handle data, and produce plots out of a sample of Copernicus data. Participants will make use of a series of freely-available tools specifically developed for these applications, including Jupyter Notebook.

The EUMETSAT Copernicus Marine Data Stream (Session number: SC1.22)

An interactive session using WeKEO DIAS hosted processing, Sentinel Applications Platform (SNAP) software, and Python programming. Come to learn about Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellite data and downstream services, plus develop your own workflows.

EUMETSAT Climate Products and the CM SAF R Toolbox (Session number:SC1.23)

Get an overview of available climate data records from the EUMETSAT Satellite Application Facilities (SAFs); learn how to access them and gain hands-on experience. Participants are also welcome to ask their own scientific questions.

No experience is necessary, as various exercises will be provided for a wide range of skill levels and applications. Participants are required to bring their own laptops.

See you in Vienna!

//image missing//

Baltic+ and NOMEK training events

Spring 2020 / Reykjavik, Iceland and Krakow, Poland

The next NOMEK and Baltic+ courses will take place in Spring 2020.

The 26th NOMEK course will be hosted by the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) in Reykjavik. This course is intended for the Nordic forecasters with invited participants from nearby regions.

Forecasters from the Baltic States and Poland, with invited participants from nearby regions, will meet at the Baltic+ blended course. The course will include three weeks online and three days face-to-face interaction. The classroom phase will be hosted by Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) in Krakow, Poland.

The teams planning and delivering these course will meet in the coming weeks to design the course programme. The course information and invitations will be distributed through the national points of contact, and will also be published on the EUMETSAT / VLab Training calendar.

//image missing//

EUMeTrain Event Week on IASI L2 profiles

Spring 2020 / Online

In Spring 2020, EUMeTrain is running an event week on IASI L2 profiles. IASI L2 product contains temperature and humidity profiles, that are available 30 minutes after sensing through the IASI EARS service from EUMETSAT. The event week aims to show how these profiles are made and how they could be used.

Participation is free and available to all. Due to the fact that this event week is run online, prior registration is needed. Self-registration is simple and you can register for one or more sessions.

Registration will soon open on the EUMeTrain website.

// issue XVII - December 2019
Resources & Tools
//image missing//

New Eumetcal Portal launched

Online

Eumetcal has recently launched the new Eumetcal portal, which we hope will become THE European place-to-go to find answers on your education and training related questions in relation to meteorological matters.

This portal aims to provide a better insight in the availability of material and learning activities within our community. We hope that with the support of the Eumetcal members this portal will grow in time and will result in more collaboration and more E&T opportunities for the members, plus prevent duplication of work.

This Eumetcal portal is more than a catalogue with important links, material and a collection of learning activities. As a representative of a Eumetcal member or partner of our Eumetcal Community, you will be allowed to register to use the portal. Once you log in, you can enrol yourself in courses. In "My Learning Portal', you can manage your learning activities - those assigned to you, those you have completed, and easily access learning material and certificates awarded to you.

During the summer we have moved all the relevant learning material from the old Moodle system (www.met-learning.eu) to this new Eumetcal portal. The old Moodle system will be soon be made unavailable.

If you have any questions, contact your training manager or us at info@eumetcal.eu.

//image missing//

New free lesson: Basic Climate Analysis Using the CM SAF R Toolbox

Online, COMET MetEd Library

The new online lesson provides a brief overview of the satellite-based climate data records (CDRs) generated by EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CM SAF) used to support climate observation and modelling. Learners will understand how to obtain a CDR from the CM SAF, and the software packages needed to visualise the CDR data in the CM SAF R Toolbox. An exercise of a hypothetical astronomical observatory installation is used to showcase the Toolbox’s application in performing statistical analyses and generating areal and location-specific data maps. Finally, a case study of the 2003 European heatwave tests the learner’s understanding of how to use the Toolbox for data analysis.

//image missing//

Try out the new simulator: Springtime aviation simulator

Online

Weather simulators are a great tool for both teaching and assessing weather forecaster competency. The new sim in the EUMeTrain sim collection is producued by the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LVGMC) and enables you to step into the shoes of an aviation forecaster in the Baltic Region. There will be more than one significant phenomena you will be experiencing while you will be tasked to write TAFs, Warnings, SIGMETs and give TRENDs by using TafEditor during your shift.

This weather simulator is based on a real case in spring at Riga airport and it was used as a test simulator for preparing forecasters for the real competency assessment in the LVGMC aviation department. It has built-in features such as a METAR screen and a TafEditor for submitting forecasts and warnings. Meteorological data provided in this simulator can be overwhelming at times, as the case runs six times faster than in real life. It gives you the option to experience a full operational shift in just one and a half hours.

If you are interested in the technical side, you can download the weather simulator and see for yourself how it was built using html and javascript.

Access the simulator here.

//image missing//

Online Module Interpreting and communicating EPS guidance: Germany Winter Event

Online

A new COMET lesson, Interpreting and Communicating EPS Guidance: Germany Winter Event, has now been published on the MetEd* website.

This 45-minute lesson briefly introduces learners to the benefits of using probabilistic forecast information to assess weather, and communicate forecast uncertainties.

Learners will explore a winter weather event in Germany and practice synthesising deterministic and probabilistic forecast guidance to better understand forecast uncertainties based on lead-time. Additionally, learners will decide how to best communicate the potential weather threats and impacts to local end users.

The lesson is another component of the Forecast Uncertainty: EPS Products, Interpretation, and Communication distance learning course.

The intended audience for the new course includes national and international forecasters, upper-level meteorology students, and decision-makers who regularly receive specialised communications from weather agencies.

The course was created as an outcome of the Eumetcal EPS working group and is a collaboration between MSC, COMET, ECMWF, AEMET, SMHI and Manchester University. For information on how this collaboration came about, see: Developing training resources for probabilistic forecasting.

*Note: For best viewing of content on the MetEd website, please ensure that you have a browser updated to its latest version with JavaScript.

// issue XVII - December 2019
Stories & Achievements
//image missing//

1st Joint Atmospheric Composition training event

4-8 Nov 2019 / Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Offered in cooperation with ESA and CAMS, the 5 day course hosted by the Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca (Romania) brought together 45 participants from Europe and beyond. In the context of workshops, participants tried out CAMS, aerosol and Sentinel-5P data. They also explored the capabilities of Python code in Jupyter notebooks and the BEAT toolbox.

With a strong focus on scientific applications of satellite data, a round of poster sessions allowed participants to showcase their research.

Participants spent two days working on their own projects and attended lectures on air pollution and health, the role of satellites in pollution monitoring, and data quality offered by colleagues from World Meteorological Organization, AC SAF, KNMI, FMI, UBB, Luftblick and BIRA-IASB.

There was also a 'world-cafe' (round table discussions with experts) and a WMO facilitated interactive session on negotiation role play on air quality.

More information can be found here.

//image missing//

1st MTG Training course

23 to 27 September 2019 / Darmstadt, Germany

The first MTG training workshop for EUMETSAT Member States, plus users from Algeria and Morocco, was held in September 2019. The training covered the MTG mission in general, but also focused on major application areas and weather forecasting/nowcasting.

The spectrum of experience of the 20 participants was very broad, ranging from novice to senior personnel at NMHSs, from developers to trainers. Proxy data from all four MTG instruments were represented, namely the Flexible Combined Imager (FCI), the Lightning Imager (LI), the Infrared Sounder (IRS) and the Ultraviolet Sounder (UVN).

The participants had the opportunity to explore proxy MTG data and visualise it, using McIDAS-V, SIFT and Jupyter Notebook laboratory assignments; engage in facilitated discussions, and see expert demonstrations.

On the last day, discussions focused on user preparedness for MTG and the future of MTG training.

//image missing//

Forecasting and Nowcasting of Relevant Weather Phenomena (D-A-CH Course)

Classroom part from 18 till 22 November / Classroom: Vienna

The course had been two years in the planning, but it finally started in October 2019 with a six-week online phase. This phase comprised of three two-week long topics on convection, low cloudiness and stratus, and fronts and cyclogenesis. The classroom phase took place in Vienna, from 18-22 November.

For the classroom phase, a maximum number of 20 participants was foreseen in order to ensure a good mentoring of the participants. The classroom phase comprised of lectures, practical work and role games. It focused on the topic of cyclogenesis from the satellite, radar and synoptic point of view, including the warning aspect, i.e. the communication with clients.

The course was organised by the three German-speaking national weather services - Austria (ZAMG), Switzerland (Meteo-Swiss) and Germany (DWD). While the online phase will always be managed by all three weather services, the classroom phase will be organised by only one weather service, starting this year with ZAMG. The course, sponsored by EUMETSAT and the organising national weather service will be repeated every year.

//image missing//

Success! 2019 Blended MSC/COMET Winter Weather Course Completed

Online: 7 through 25 October
Residence: 28 October through 1 November
Online Wrap-up: 2 through 17 November
Online and in Boulder, CO, USA

This year's course blended online and residence work, and contained online pre-requisites (videos and modules), synchronous webinars, practice exercises, online and in-class lab sessions, and discussion activities. Participants felt this combination was effective for their overall learning and growth, giving an average effectiveness rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

During the online portion, students were able to pose questions via webinar software (phone, VoIP, or chat window), as well as in interactive polling questions. Many mentioned this was a great way to get their most important questions answered.

The residence component featured extensive hands-on laboratory work, including using Play-doh, cardboard cutouts and interpretive dance to help participants visualise atmospheric motion and structures. Individual and group discussions solidified atmospheric and forecasting concepts and delved into forecast workflow and service delivery.

Topics in the course included satellite meteorology, advanced diagnosis and forecasting techniques, potential vorticity thinking, and using NWP effectively to add value to operational forecasts. All topics were presented within a wintertime framework using winter case events.

Thirty-three students from eight countries participated, including Canada, the United States, Finland, Latvia, Denmark, Ukraine, Switzerland, and Algeria.

//image missing//

The joint CALMet XIII & Eumetcal Conference 2019

17 to 20 September 2019 / Darmstadt, Germany

The joint CALMet XIII and Eumetcal Conference 2019 was held in Darmstadt, Germany, from 17-20 September 2019.

There were 99 participants, most from Europe, but there were some representatives from other regions. Fifty-nine percent were attending for the first time.

Most participants (two-thirds) reported they work for NHMs, with others coming from universities and air traffic control. The most common primary roles were lecturer, instructional designer and meteorologist.

Two-thirds of participants were presenting a paper or held a workshop during the conference.

Most participants said that Tsvet Ross-Lazarov's workshops were the highlights of the conference, closely followed by Bryan Guarente's workshops. In general, participants appreciated workshops with hands-on approach.

When asked why they attended the conference, the most common answers were to find out about meteorological training and to look for an opportunity to collaborate.

More than 95% felt the conference supported their goals.

"We were inspired. We tried new things. We had new energy to improve or start new ideas. We have a place to grow as a community."

//image missing//

HSAF Soil Moisture Event Week

from 4 to 8 November 2019 / Online

In November EUMeTrain ran an event week on Soil Moisture (SM) products of H-SAF. H-SAF Soil Moisture products were highlighted and an insight on these products from a scientific and application-oriented point of view was presented.

During the event, the focus was on topics depicting the important role of soil moisture for environmental (e.g. flood, drought) and weather prediction systems.

The presentations included topics such as the description of the theoretical background for performing drought analysis with satellite Soil Moisture products. Participants were also shown how to use soil moisture data in identifying drought conditions. Additionally, several presentations focused on describing the theoretical background for using satellite SM products in flood prediction.

The final session of the event week was a presentation on how accurate estimations of hydrological variables, such as soil moisture, are important to the Civil Protection; enabling them to issue early warnings and improving the monitoring of severe rainfall events that could trigger floods and landslides at local scale.

The lectures were broadcast using the WebEx Training Center platform.

Details on the programme and the recordings can be found here.