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METWSG/2-IP/6
/ METWSG/2-IP/6
8/4/09

METEOROLOGICAL WARNINGS STUDY GROUP (METWSG)

SECOND MEETING

Montréal, 19 to 21 May 2009

Agenda Item / 5: / Content and issuance of SIGMET
5.1: / Improved issuance of SIGMET

PARTICIPATION IN WS SIGMET TESTS IN ASIA/PAC REGION

(Presented by Sue O'Rourke)

SUMMARY
This information paper discusses the participation of States in the ASIA/PAC WS SIGMET tests.

1.  INTRODUCTION

1.1  The MET Divisional Meeting (2002) formulated Recommendation 1/12 b), Implementation of SIGMET requirements, which called, inter alia, for the relevant Planning and Implementation Regional Groups (PIRGs) to conduct periodic tests of the issuance and reception of SIGMET messages, especially those for volcanic ash.

1.2  Information on the requirements for the dissemination and exchange of SIGMET in the Asia/Pacific Region is published in the Asia/Pacific Regional SIGMET Guide (4th edition, amended December 2008). This document also outlines the procedures for conducting SIGMET tests.

1.3  The ROBEX Handbook (12th edition, amended December 2008) provides details on the procedures for OPMET exchange and defines the responsibilities of the ROBEX centres and the content and format of the ROBEX bulletins. It also outlines the procedures for OPMET quality control and procedures.

1.4  This paper presents information relating to the participation of States in the ASIA/PAC WS SIGMET tests conducted on the 9 February 2006, 9 February 2007, 29 January 2008 and the 24February 2009.

2.  PARTICIPATION IN WS SIGMET TESTS

2.1  Four RODBs in the Asia/Pac Region, Bangkok, Brisbane, Tokyo and Singapore, provided summaries of the reception of the WS SIGMET tests to the Australian representative of the OPMET M/TF for analysis. Fiji RODB did not provide information for any of the tests.

2.2  Of the 29 States listed in the Asia/Pac Region SIGMET Guide, Appendix H, 14 States (48 per cent) did not participate in any of the four tests (see Table 1).

States who did not participate in any WS SIGMET test
1.  Bangladesh
2.  Cambodia
3.  Democratic People's Republic of Korea
4.  Indonesia
5.  Lao People's Democratic Republic / 6.  Maldives
7.  Mongolia
8.  Myanmar
9.  Nauru
10.  Nepal / 11.  Northern Mariana Islands
12.  Papua New Guinea
13.  Solomon Islands
14.  Sri Lanka

Table 1: States who did not participate in any WS SIGMET Test.

2.3  Table 2 lists the FIRs not covered in any of the WS SIGMET tests (see Appendix 1).

FIRs not covered by the WS SIGMET test
MWO Location / FIR Name / FIR Ident
1.  DHAKA/Zia Intl / Dhaka FIR & SRR / VGFR
2.  PHNOM-PENH/Pochentong / Phnom-Penh FIR & SRR / VDPP
3.  PYONGYAMG/Sunan / Pyongyang FIR & SRR / ZKKK
4.  JAKARTA/Soekarno-Hatta Intl / Jakarta FIR,UIR & SRR / WIIZ
5.  UJUNG PANDANG/Hasanuddin / UJUNG Pandang FIR/UIR & SRR / WAAZ
6.  VIENTIANE/Wattay / Vientiane FIR & SRR / VLVT
7.  MALE/Hulule / Male FIR & SRR / VRMM
8.  ULAN BATOR/Ulan Bator / Ulan Bator FIR & SRR / ZMUB
9.  YANGON/Yangon Intl / Yangon FIR & SRR / VYYY
10.  NAURU I./Nauru / Nauru FIR & SRR / ANAU
11.  KATHMANDU/Tribhuvan Intl / Kathmandu FIR & SRR / VNSM
12.  SAIPAN I. (OBYAN)/Saipan I. (Obyan) Intl
13.  LAHORE/Lahore / Lahore Fir & SRR / OPLR
14.  PORT MORESBY/Jacksons / Port Moresby FIR & SRR / AYPY
15.  HONIARA/Henderson / Honiara FIR & SRR / AGGG
16.  COLOMBO/Katunayake / Colombo FIR & SRR / VCBI

Table 2: FIRs not covered by any WS SIGMET

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Appendix
METWSG/2-IP/6
Appendix

APPENDIX

FIRs not Covered by any of the Four WS SIGMET Tests (in pink/orange)


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