Wmo Caem Xiv Teco Sigmet Advisory

World Meteorological OrganizationWorking together in weather, climate and water

CAeM-XIV Technical Conference

SIGMET PROVISION

Sue O’Rourke

www.wmo.int

WMO

CAeM-XIV TECO – Hong Kong, China – 5 to 6 February 2010

Slide Number 2CAeM XIV TECO – SIGMET Provision

SIGMET Provision – DefinitionWMO

SIGMET • Defined in ICAO Annex 3;• Information concerning the occurrence, or expected occurrence, of specified

en-route weather phenomena which may affect the safety of aircraft operations;

• Issued by the Meteorological Watch Office (MWO);• Phenomena include:

•Thunderstorm with/without hail (obscured, embedded, frequent, squall);•Tropical cyclone;•Turbulence (severe);•Icing (severe and severe due to freezing rain);•Mountain wave (severe);•Duststorm or sandstorm (heavy);•Volcanic ash;•Radioactive cloud.


SIGMET Provision – ProblemsWMO

Problems • Lack of training or required competency;• Inadequate meteorological observation and/or guidance products;• No established MWO in some States;• Inconsistencies across Flight Information Region (FIR) boundaries due

to lack of coordination between MWO;• Incorrect formatting;• Different interpretation of the SIGMET criteria between MWO;• Dissemination issues due to poor communications or incorrect

addressing.


SIGMET Provision – Capacity BuildingWMO

Capacity Building • SIGMET Advisory Centres (VAAC & TCAC);• Issuance of SIGMET on behalf of another State

under a bilateral arrangement;• Liaison visits;• SIGMET seminars; • Establishment of educational

material, including SIGMET posters;

• Regional SIGMET Guides;• SIGMET tests.


SIGMET Provision – Possible SolutionsWMO

Bi-lateral Agreement • One State issues SIGMET on behalf of another State;• Arranged in conjunction with ICAO.

SIGMET Advisory Centres• Regional or global centres to issue SIGMET Advisories (similar to

TCAC and VAAC);• States use Advisory as guidance to issue SIGMET.

SIGMET Centres • Regional or global centres to issue SIGMET.


SIGMET Provision – IssuesWMO

Cost Recovery • Cost recovery is an issue for many States;• Equitable options for recovery of costs for regional or global centres

needs resolving.

Data Access• Access to high resolution, local observational data such as radar,

mesoscale AWOS networks, profilers etc, particularly for issuance of low-level SIGMET.


ICAO - SIGMET Advisory Ad Hoc GroupWMO

Team Co-Rapporteurs:• From Australia, Hong Kong China and FranceTeam • From UK, USA, IATA, IFALPA, Japan, New Zealand, China, WMO,

South Africa and ICAO.

ICAO METWSG SIGMET Advisory Ad-hoc Group • Conduct a study to establish the viability of providing SIGMET advisory

information to be issued by designated regional centre(s);• Similar to Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAACs) and Tropical

Cyclone Advisory Centres (TCACs).



Tasks A. Establish content and format of SIGMET Advisory;B. Select regional centre(s) for feasibility study;C. Propose arrangements for a trial to be conducted by one or two

regional centre(s);D. Establish training requirements.



SIGMET Advisory Format & Dissemination• Weather phenomena:

• Thunderstorms (OBSC, EMBD, FRQ & SQL TS & TSGR)• Turbulence (SEV TURB)• Icing (SEV ICE & SEV ICE FZRA)• Mountain wave (MTW)

• Validity period: • Up to 6 hours

• Format: • Text (similar to current Advisories) and Graphic

• Dissemination: • AFTN, Internet

• Issue frequency: • Routinely (say every 3 hours) or as required



SIGMET ADVISORY A1DTG: 20091105/2200ZSAC: ASIAVALID: 052200/060400FIR: VNSM/ZPKMPHENOMENON: SEV TURB OBS AT 2230ZLOCATION: WI N3000 E08500 – N2700

E08800 – N2700 E08500LEVEL: FL280/340MOVEMENT: MOV NW 40KTINTENSITY: WKNRMK: NILNXT ADVISORY: 20091106/0100Z



Host State(s) for SIGMET Advisory Trial• Geographical area:

• ICAO AFI and/or ASIA/PAC• Data sources:

• Satellite imagery• Surface and upper air observations• NWP & WAFC products

• Forecasting tools: • Real-time visualisation of data• Production of both textual and graphical SIGMET• Means of product dissemination

• Cost recovery options: ??• Host State(s): ??



Training Requirements• Host State(s) & MWOs

• WMO Meteorologist, Guidelines from WMO Doc 258 and Supplement 1• Practical experience and proven competence in issuance of SIGMET in accordance

with Annex 3 requirements• Regional ICAO SIGMET Guides• WMO ETP No. 20 – Aviation Hazards• COMET and WMO AeMP Training website• Host State(s) will also require a knowledge of meteorology outside their own FIR

• Users



Trial Proposal• Length, hours of coverage and dates for trail(s)• Notification to users and affected States• Development of KPIs to assess impact• Assessment of value of advisory

Documents

Wmo Caem Xiv Teco Sigmet Advisory