Dear all,
Please join us for the first of three webinars organised by the International Commission on Polar Meteorology around the Year of Polar Prediction in the Southern Hemisphere!
On December 8th at 15 GMT
Dr. David Bromwich from the Polar Meteorology Group at the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center will give “An Overview of the Year of Polar Prediction in the Southern Hemisphere (YOPP-SH) and its Achievements” .
For further information about the talk and how to join us, see the attached flyer and the abstract below.
Best wishes,
Amélie Kirchgaessner
on behalf of the International Commission on Polar Meteorology
(http://www.icpm-iamas.aq/ twitter @MetPolarIntl)
Abstract:
YOPP-SH is an initiative of the World Weather Research Programme of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and is endorsed by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). It had a special observing period (SOP) from 16 November 2018 to 15 February 2019, chosen to bracket the austral summer months of primary operational activity in the Antarctic. Some 2,200 additional radiosondes were launched by 17 nations during the 3-month SOP, roughly doubling the routine program, and additional drifting buoys were deployed in the Southern Ocean. An evaluation of global model forecasts during the SOP confirmed that extratropical Southern Hemisphere forecast skill is similar to that in the Northern Hemisphere but much poorer over the Antarctic compared to the Arctic. Observing system experiments show that the additional radiosondes yield a better description of atmospheric conditions over and around Antarctica and as a result improve the forecasts of strong cyclones impacting the Antarctic coast. SOP data have been applied to study an atmospheric river event that was challenging to forecast and that impacted southern South America and the Antarctic Peninsula. Seasonal predictions by coupled atmosphere–ocean–sea ice models struggle to capture the spatial and temporal characteristics of the Antarctic sea ice minimum. Education, outreach, and communication activities will be summarized as well.
YOPP-SH is close to implementing a second SOP, mid-April to mid-July 2022, coinciding with the rapid expansion of the Antarctic sea ice cover. The project goal is to improve numerical weather prediction during the non-summer months as nations contemplate expanding to year-round scientific field investigations. In recognition of limited personnel and resources at this time of year, the Targeted Observing Period (TOP) approach is being adopted. Four TOPs of ~5 days duration each will be scheduled during the SOP with scientific foci on the characteristics/impacts of major oceanic cyclones, atmospheric rivers, and related events. The primary additional observations will be additional radiosonde ascents from Antarctica and lower latitude sites. Expanded oceanic observations are also planned. Two broad regions of particular emphasis are the Antarctic Peninsula extending to the Weddell Sea along with the greater Ross Sea-East Antarctica region. There are many opportunities for participation by early career scientists.
Dr. Amélie Kirchgaessner FRMetS | she, her | Senior Atmospheric Scientist
High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, United Kingdom
Email: acrki@bas.ac.uk | Tel: +44 (0)1223 221359 | https://www.bas.ac.uk/profile/acrki
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