Global Observing Systems News

High Density XBT (HDX) Programm 2008-2010 updated July 12, 2010 (More on the Overview of the GOOS Observation Programs' Growth)

Scientific Panels web page updated July 9, 2010. Now inlcudes latest news.

As of January 2010, the World Data Centre for Aerosols (WDCA) was transferred from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Italy, to the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) in Oslo, Norway. Metadata related to aerosol measurements within GAW and its contributing networks are hosted by the GAW Station Information System (GAWSIS), while the data are archived by the WDCA. Data providers are encouraged to contact the new WDCA at NILU, to arrange for data submission (http://www.nilu.no/projects/ccc/submission.html). The existing ftp-site of the WDCA (ftp://ftp-ccu.jrc.it/pub/WDCA/) will maintain at least until all the datasets and associated metadata are available from the EBAS database of NILU. More...

NOAA: 2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook

Effective from January 2010, Dr Adrian Simmons from the European Centre for MediumRange Weather Forecast (ECMWF) became the new Chairman of the GCOS Steering Committee. Dr Simmons has been Chairman of the GCOS/WCRP Atmospheric Observations Panel for Climate (AOPC) since 2006, and takes over the Chairmanship of the Steering Committee from Prof. John Zillman, who served as Chairman from 2006 to 2009. (from the GCOS 1/2010 Newsletter)

GOES-15 Weather Satellite Captures Its First Image of Earth

NOAA: Global Temps Push Last Month to Hottest March on Record The world’s combined global land and ocean surface temperature made last month the warmest March on record, according to NOAA.

NOAA’s New “Hurricane Eye in the Sky” and Key Weather Satellite Gets into Position NOAA’s GOES-13 spacecraft today became the official GOES-EAST satellite, perched 22,300 miles above the equator in a prime location to spot potentially life-threatening weather affecting the eastern half of the nation.

50th Anniversary of the Satellite that “Forever Changed Weather Forecasting” Fifty years ago today, the world’s first weather satellite lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., and opened a new and exciting dimension in weather forecasting.

Newly added/updated on the GOSIC Portal:

GUAN Stations Inventories & Performance Indicators Updated links
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP): GUAN Stations - Upper Air Height Inventory updated for May 2010
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (database of questions & answers)
- National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) (database of questions & answers on global climate change, the Greenhouse Effect, climate change data, climate definitions)
Other Portals:
The GOOS National Activities Summaries updated for February 2010
NOAA unveils new Climate Portal: (press release) (link ot portal)
GRUAN Data Management Coordination Meeting Report - 28-29 September 2009 - NOAA/NCDC, Asheville, NC was posted on the main GCOS page
GOSIC in the News:
- GOSIC Works with GEO Portal to Provide Climate Information (GEO News issue #6, 17 december 2009)
- A Comprehensive Data Portal for Global Climate Information (EOS, AGU, Vol. 90, NO.39, 29 September 2009)
The GCOS Essential Climate Variables (ECV) Data Access Matrix is in the process of being updated.
For the Global Climate Observing Systems Surface Network GHCN-Daily Version 2 Dataset, the C-flag has now been combined with the G-flag. More at http://gosic.org/gcos/GSN/gsndatamatrix.htm
The Pacific Disaster Net (http://www.pacificdisaster.net/) is the - Virtual Centre of Excellence - for Disaster Risk Management in the Pacific Region. The Web Portal and Database System is designed to be the largest and most comprehensive information resource for Disaster Risk Management for the Pacific Island Countries.