Early warning is a key element in building resilience to weather- and climate-related risks. In order to galvanize Forecast-based Actions (FbA) in the communities, National Hydrological and Meteorological Services (NMHSs) need to develop capacities along the entire service delivery chain for generating targeted impact-based forecasting and timely dissemination of accurate, understandable and customized information.

Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (United Nations, 2015), WMO Guidelines on Multi-hazard Impact-based Forecast and Warning Services (2015, WMO-No 1150) as well as the Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems: A Checklist (2018), highlight the significance of integrating risk and impact information in early warning systems by utilizing the advances in information and communication technologies and Earth observations.

RIMES implemented Enhancing weather and climate resilience in RIMES member States through capacity building on impact forecasting- Phase I, from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2018, aimed at building resilience to weather- and climate-related hazards by building capacity on impact forecasting in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka in the Asian region, and Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa in the Pacific region.

Enhancing capacities for impact-based forecasting and its application through Phase II

Building on the gains of Phase I, Phase II of the project shall focus in the following areas of interventions

1. Training of weather and climate information users on potential impact assessment, risk analysis, and application of outputs in planning and decision-making for resource and risk management in agriculture and disaster management sectors
2. Technical support in conducting seasonal forums, subregional dialogues and facilitating potential impact assessments to inform seasonal planning
3. Expansion of decision support system to aid potential impact and risk analyses in the agriculture sector
4. Capacity building of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to enable them to respond to user demands from climate-sensitive and disaster management sectors
5. Support NMHS and ministry participation in RIMES 4th Ministerial Conference for experience and knowledge sharing

Aligned with the Strategic Note 2021-2024 of the ESCAP Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Tsunami, Disaster and Climate Preparedness, these interventions serve to strengthen people-centered, multi-hazard early warning systems.

Furthermore, to address the countries’ needs from additional sectors beyond the scope of this program, such as tourism and energy, in conjunction with the RIMES Master Plan and WMO-RIMES Joint Strategy & Action Plan formulated as per recommendation of the Member States, RIMES will adopt a flexible framework to meet these emerging needs and demands, and to expand similar programs to other countries in the long term.

The post Enhancing weather and climate resilience in RIMES member States through capacity building on impact forecasting – Phase II appeared first on rimes.

Myanmar Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) is the government agency mandated to observe, analyze, predict, and provide warning services for weather- and climate-related hazards, including hazards of geologic and oceanic origins. Donor support has contributed significantly to improving DMH provision of these services, but with recent political and economic changes, inflow of external support could overwhelm DMH, in the absence of a framework for coherent, integrated, efficient, and effective engagement with donors. This project aims to assist DMH in developing a capacity building program framework for addressing capacity gaps, as well as fill immediate capacity gaps in earthquake monitoring and tsunami warning, and decision-support tools for disaster risk management.
Objectives:

Synergy in donor assistance for DMH capacity building
A National Earthquake and Data Center (NEDC) that meets UNESCO/IOC standards for national tsunami warning centers
Reduced disaster risks through users’ increased uptake of warning information

Activities:

Synergy in donor assistance for DMH capacity building
Report: DMH Capacity Assessment in Seismology
Report: DMH Capacity Assessment in Meteorology
Report: DMH Capacity Assessment in Agrometeorology
A National Earthquake and Data Center (NEDC) that meets UNESCO/IOC standards for national tsunami warning centers
Report: 1st NEDC SOP Testing Report
Report: SeisComP Training
Report: Tide Tool Training
Report: ShakeCast Training

Reduced disaster risks through users’ increased uptake of warning information

RIMES shall assist DMH and the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MOAI) in implementing key recommendations of the 9th Monsoon Forum in Naypyitaw in October 2012, in particular the development of tools to support users of weather and climate information: an updated agro-ecological zone map for Myanmar, crop-weather calendars that take into consideration the climate pattern in the past decades, agro-meteorological bulletin that integrates crop development stage, expert system for translating weather and climate information into potential impacts and management options, and pilot Climate Risk Management Field Schools to introduce farmers to the use of science-based information in decision-making. Upgrade of the country‚agro-meteorological network shall support these initiatives.
In addition, building on ESCAP‚project on geospatial information system for disaster risk preparedness in the Asia-Pacific region, RIMES shall assist DMH in developing a web-based geospatial database, for disaster risk management applications, with application demonstration in earthquake risk assessment, using U.S. Geological Survey‚ShakeCast, an online tool for rapid assessment of risks to populations, buildings, and other critical facilities from real-time earthquakes, with automated notification to registered users.
Expected Outcomes and Performance Measures:

Synergy in donor assistance for DMH capacity building

» DMH capacity building program document
» Warning system design and specifications

NEDC meets UNESCO/IOC standards for NTWCs

» VSat telemetry in 2 remote stations
» 3 seismic stations registered with IRIS
» Dedicated GTS client server
» At least 5 staffs trained in SeisComP3, Tide Tool and GTS, and practiced on EQ and tsunami evaluations and SOP-based generation and dissemination of warnings

Reduced disaster risks through users’ increased uptake of warning information

» Geospatial database and customized ShakeCast installed at DMH and available on DMH website
» At least 5 DMH personnel trained on geospatial database and ShakeCast O&M, further development, and application
» Myanmar agro-ecological zone map
» Crop-weather calendars for major crops
» Agro-meteorological bulletin that integrates crop development stage
» 17 agro-meteorological stations with automatic data recording and transmission
» Upgraded facility at DMH for receiving agro-met data from remote stations
» Web-based agro-advisory expert system at DMH, linked to MOAI website
» Users manual on Ag-ADE
» At least 3 DMH personnel trained on Ag-ADE O&M and further development
» More than 20 MoAI, RRD, and GAD staffs at pilot sites trained on Ag-ADE
» Adapted CRM Field School curriculum
» At least 4 trainers for CRM Field School
» More than 60 farmers trained on forecast-based decision-making

External Connections:
The project builds on ongoing efforts from UNESCO/IOC and WMO in Myanmar. RIMES and DMH shall involve other external partners, by informing them about the project and by getting their feedback on how they could contribute, including the linking of project outputs with their ongoing and planned programs and activities:

» UNDP, JICA, TICA, and other development partners on the development of the capacity building program document; initial matching of donor priorities with DMH priorities could be made
» USGS, CEA, IRIS, CTBTO, CISN, the Government of India, and other relevant institutions that have been or are going to be involved in seismic system capacity building
» FAO, WMO, and the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) on development of tools for improving utilization of weather and climate forecasts

Project Partners/Beneficiaries:

Department of Meteorology and Hydrology
Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation
Relief and Resettlement Department
General Administration Department
Farming communities at the pilot sites

Information Resources:

Project Fact-sheet
Poster
Report: Training on Weather Research Forecasting (WRF) Model
Installation, Operation, and Maintenance
Photo Gallery

 

The post Strengthening of Myanmar Multi-Hazard Early Warning System appeared first on rimes.

Objectives:

1. Develop Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) capacity to forecast, up to 7 days in advance, cyclone formation, track, and landfall, including associated surge and rainfall, with a 9km resolution
2. Enhance BMD capacity in forecasting coastal inundation from surge and heavy rainfall that are associated with cyclones
3. Demonstrate the use of these experimental forecasts in reducing disaster risks in Barisal Division in southern Bangladesh

Activities:

1. Concurrent monitoring of depressions, cyclone formation and tracking
2. Pre-impact assessment tool development and capacity building
3. Pilot application of technology

Expected Outcomes and Performance Measures:

Technology development.

• Continuous monitoring of depressions and cyclone formation at the Bay of Bengal, including other severe weather events
• Customization of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) meso-scale model, combining risk thresholds and user requirements Establishment at BMD of 9km x 9km resolution cyclone tracking system using WRF model
• Enhancement of storm surge forecasting using Japan Meteorological Agency‚Medium Range Forecast (JMA-MRF) model
• Development of coastal inundation model that integrates GIS layers and storm surge model outputs
• Development of risk-based decision-support system (DSS) for potential impact assessment Demonstration of technology application.
• Demonstrations in 5 coastal unions for the application of risk-based warning information in decision-making

Technology transfer and capacity building. Models are transferred to BMD and FFWC Number of BMD and the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) staff trained on the use of models developed under the project Number of National and local level institutions, including CPP volunteers and local NGOs, trained to translate forecast information into impact outlooks and menu of response options Number of Save the Children staff and partner NGO, farmers, and Upazila Disaster Management Committee members trained on forecast products for weather, cyclone, storm surge, and coastal inundation, agro-meteorological forecast products, DSS tool, and their application in planning and decision-making, including data archiving and GIS-based risk mapping. Establishment of model EOC at union level External Connections: Nobo Jibon is a five-year food security program, jointly funded by USAID and the Government of Bangladesh, which seeks to reduce food insecurity and vulnerability to natural disasters in eleven upazillas of the Barisal Division. Save the Children manages the program in close partnership with: RIMES, Helen Keller International, WorldFish Cen-ter, and International Development Enterprises, and local implementing partners SpeedTrust, Gono Unnayan Prochesta, Community Development Center, and South Asia Partnership Bangladesh. Project Partners/Beneficiaries: Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) Upazila Disaster Management Committee Save the Children and partner NGOs Farmers

The post Piloting of Bay of Bengal cyclones and depression tracks and landfall for enhanced accuracy and improved lead time for disaster risk reduction in Nobo Jibon Program areas, Bangladesh appeared first on rimes.

Objectives:

1. Expanding the 1-10 days flood forecasting to larger pilot areas (under CARE SHOUHARDO II program areas)
2. Operationalizing monthly and seasonal forecasts
3. Piloting flash flood early warning system at Sunamgang and Cox’Bazaar area
4. Complementing existing cyclone prediction program of Bangladesh Meteorological Department

Key Activities:

1. Expand 1-10 day flood forecasts
2. Pilot flash flood forecasting and application
3. Operationalize 20-25 day and seasonal forecast

Expected Outcomes and Performance Measures

1. Technology development:

• Operational medium range (1-10 days) flood forecasting at three major rivers (Brahmaputra, Ganges and Megna) basin with 38 water level stations
• Operational long range (20-25 days) flood outlook
• Operational flash flood forecast
• Development of web based DSS for flood risk management for FFWC

2. Demonstration of technology application is indicated by the number of:

• FFWC staff trained on newly evolved forecasts system
• Communities to receive warning, interpret and response on medium range forecasts, long range (20-25 days) range forecasts and flash flood forecast

3. Technology transfer and capacity building:

• Transfer of models to FFWC
• Number of FFWC staff trained on the use of models developed under the project
• Number of national and local level institutions, including DMB, DAE, CARE Bangladesh and local NGOs trained to translate forecast information into impact outlooks and selection of response options
• Number of BWDB staff and partner NGO, farmers, and Upazila Disaster Management Committee members trained on probabilistic flood forecast, DSS tool, and their application in planning and decision-making, including data archiving and GIS-based risk mapping.
• Enhancement of observation system to increase data availability for forecasting and warning

In light of the SHOUHARDO Program Phase I, the SHOUHARDO Phase II  expanded on the long lead probabilistic flood forecasts warning information to larger areas, with the support of USAID, the Government of Bangladesh and CARE Bangladesh.

RIMES implemented this project supporting the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) to carry out the long lead flood forecast activities once the project is finalized, promoting its sustainability.

Project Partners/Beneficiaries:

• Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC)
• Bangladesh Water Development Board
• Disaster Management Bureau
• Department of Agricultural Extension
• Upazila Disaster Management Committee
• CARE and local NGOs
• Farmers

The post Enhancing early warning system for community-based response in Bangladesh under SHOUHARDO- II appeared first on rimes.

The post Strengthening early warning systems for extreme weather events to advance climate risk management in the Southeast Asian region appeared first on rimes.

The post Support to the generation and use of climate forecasts for climate risk management and food security appeared first on rimes.

The post Support for Climate Risk Management and Forecasting in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar appeared first on rimes.

Cambodia,Lao PDR,Myanmar

The post Linking information and decision-making to improve food security in selected countries of the Greater Mekong Sub-region appeared first on rimes.

The post Enhancing capacities of National Red Cross Societies in Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam on early warning information interpretation, translation, and application for preparedness appeared first on rimes.

The post Climate Risk Management Technical Assistance Support Project appeared first on rimes.