Building and Sustaining Data Networks

byCurt Barrett-NWS International

NWS/AMS International Workshop

January 7, 2005

San Diego, California

WEATHER RELATED DISASTERS

• 1992-2001 CRED Statistics

• 90% of all natural disasters are weather related

• 622,000 Lost their lives-2 billion affected

• $446 billion in losses

Total Insured and Uninsured Losses from Weather related Natural Disasters

1980-1998

0

20

40

60

80

100

Billions in Dollars

1980 1984 1988 1992 1996

Year

Figure 1

NMHS’s REQUIRE REAL TIME HYDROMET DATA

• Climate models need GCOS Data

• Mesoscale models are increasing

• Distributed hydrologic models need high resolution data

• Tsunami models require pressure data

End-to-End Forecast Process

Disaster Mitigation and Integrated Water Management

Data Communication

Forecast

DecisionSupport

Notify

CoordinateActions

There are Multiple sources of Data

NASATRMM

TMIPRVIRS

GOESIRVISSOUNDING

NASAEOSMODIS IR+VISASTERCERES

Precipitable Water

Wind Speed+ Direction

Radar GaugeSurface TemperatureSoil MoistureVegetation

Topography(Elevation + Slope)

The Challenge: Sustaining our present HYDROMET networks

33% of EXISTING GUAN AND GCOS SURFACE STATIONS DO NOT REPORT

GCOS Surface Network (GSN)989 Stations

GCOS Secretariat 26 May 1999

GCOS Secretariat 21 April 1999

150 Stations

GCOS Upper Air Network (GUAN)

How to Build a network

• Have a Disaster– Hurricane MITCH

• Build a case to include Data Network as part of Bank LOAN– Russia, Poland,Romania

• Seek Donors – -Mekong streamgage network-Australia

Building your Case

• Analyze existing network– Develop Data network scenarious (ideal vs

basic)

– Examine forecasting and warning requirements for climatology, hydrology, meteorology and coastal surge/tsunami

– Conduct GAP analysis

Some Major DATA Players

Global Earth Observing System GEOSS)

GCOS Program

European Union

United States Agency for International Development

World Bank

United Nations (such as WMO WWW)

NOAA

Develop a Strategy

• To acquire funds to modernize Data Networks -Look at what opportunities exist!

• Develop a “marketing plan”– What are existing network limitations and resultant

negative impacts ?

– Describe users and Data needs (the Gap)

– Describe Data Network benefits vs costs for network scenarious

Develop USER Partnerships

• User Requirements for Data are your requirements

• Develop USER partnerships

• USERS assist NMHS in developing plan

• USERS lobby government to execute plan

Partnerships

New Weather Stations in Central America

SUMMARY

• NMHS’s cooperate to develop VISION (how?)• Develop Partnerships with USERS

– (energy. Emergency services,agriculture,media,transportation

• Costs vs Benefits calculated for network enhancement (how?)

• Make sure maintenance plans and funds included to assure sustainability

• Sell plan at every opportunity• Have patience