EUMETNET (RA-VI)

EUMETNET OPERA

The European Weather Radar Network

WMO TECO, Helsinki, 30 Aug -1 Sep 2010

Asko Huuskonen (FMI, KNMI), Programme ManagerLaurent Delobbe (RMI), chair WG1Bernard Urban (Météo France), chair WG2

GIE/EIG EUMETNET, Registered Number 0818.801.249 - RPM Bruxelles

EUMETNET (RA-VI)


OPERA’s Mission

• Is to “harmonize and improve the operational exchange of weather radar information between National Meteorological Services”

• “To support European applications of weather radar data through the establishment of a Data Hub function where harmonised products … are generated and managed.”

• “To investigate and evaluate new radar technology and its relevance to operational requirements for present and future radar systems and bands.”

• OPERA stands for Operational Programme on Exchange of weather RAdar information– Oriented towards operations– 30 members, KNMI is the coordinating member


OPERA Network• More than 190 radars

• Mostly C-band ●, some S-band ● and X-band ●

• About 160 Doppler radars

• Some 30 polarimetric radars, all Doppler radars

• Polarimetric radars are becoming operational standard


Organization

– OPERA group meets twice a year– Typically 25-40 delegates from 20 countries– Plenary session and working groups– WG1 (Delobbe): Radar Technology and Algorithms– WG2 (Urban): Formats, Software, Data Hub


Projects of WG1

• Working Group 1 is concerned with:

– Weather Radars in Europe (Database on website)

– Quality information for radars and radar data

– Evaluation of new technologies (Polarimetric radars, X-band)

– Site and frequency protection (Link with EUMETFREQ)

– Harmonized production practices


Projects of WG2

• Working Group 2 is concerned with:

– ODIM (OPERA data information model)

– Data exchange software development (BUFR and HDF5)

– BUFR software and table maintenance (Software available on website)

– Pilot Data Hub operations (Developed during OPERA-2)

– OPERA Data Center: specification, development, and operation


OPERA and E-WINPROF

• Weather radar wind profiles

• Increase of availability, ~100 sites

• Harmonization of GTS headers, format, and content

• Improvements on the quality


Frequency protection

• Close co-operation with EUMETFREQ– RLAN issues– WLAN on air planes– Spurious transmission– etc


Pilot Data Hub


OPERA Data Center

• Under development, to start operation 2011

• Collects single site 3D volume data

• Produces 2D composites

– Maximum reflectivity

– Rainfall intensity and accumulation


OPERA and WMO

• OPERA and OPAG ET for Upper Air work both with– Radar database– Data formats– Harmonization – New technology– Wind turbines– RLAN issues– Quality information

• Possibility for joint work and co-operation


OPERA Website: www.knmi.nl/opera

Documents

EUMETNET (RA-VI)