Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System (SDS-WAS)
Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System (SDS-WAS)
Mission
SDS-WAS aims to establish a coordinated global network of SDS research and forecasting centers to enhance operational SDS forecasts through technology transfer from research. SDS-WAS partners with the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW).
SDS-WAS Science and Implementation Plan 2020-2025 is available here.
WMO Public web-site: https://public.wmo.int/en/our-mandate/focus-areas/environment/SDS
Global SDS-WAS Steering Committee here
News
WMO Airborne Dust Bulletin #4 (May 2020)
WMO SDS-WAS Science Progress Report for 2019: GAW-WWRP Report, June 2020
6th SDS-WAS Steering Committee Meeting, 19-21 October 2020
4th Meeting of UN Coalition on Combating SDS, 21 October 2020
CREWS Burkina Faso SDS-WAS Study in New WMO report issued: State of Climate Services
About the WMO SDS-WAS
SDS-WAS was established in 2007 in response to the intention of 40 WMO member countries to improve capabilities for more reliable sand and dust storm forecasts. Research forecasting products from atmospheric dust models may substantially contribute to risk reduction in many areas of societal benefit. It will rely on real-time delivery of products.
More than 25 organizations currently provide daily global or regional dust forecasts in different geographic regions, including 9 global models and more than 15 regional models contributing to SDS-WAS. The SDS-WAS integrates research and user communities (e.g. medical, aeronautical, agricultural users). SDS-WAS is established as a federation of partners organized around regional nodes. At the moment three nodes are established: the Northern Africa-Middle East-Europe Node (hosted by Spain), the Asian Node (hosted by China) and the PanAmerican Node (hosted by Barbados).
Video - SDS problem and SDS-WAS (Protecting People from Sand and Dust Storms)
Scientific background and modeling of sand and dust storm events
Global Forecasts in SDS-WAS
About 9 global and 15 regional models are contributing to SDS-WAS.
The main global forecast provider to SDS-WAS is CAMS.
You can find up to date maps here
GAW contributing modelling network is ICAP.
You can find up to date maps here
Regional SDS Forecasts by SDS-WAS Nodes and Centers
Regional SDS-WAS operates through the Global SDS-WAS Steering Committee and three Regional Nodes and their Centers:
- WMO SDS-WAS Regional Node for Northern Africa, Middle East and Europe, coordinated by a Regional Centre in Barcelona, Spain, hosted by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) and the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC)
- WMO SDS-WAS Regional Node for Asia, coordinated by a Regional Centre in Beijing, China, that is hosted by the China Meteorological Administration (CMA)
- WMO SDS-WAS Regional Node for the Americas, coordinated by a Regional Centre in Barbados that hosted by the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH)
- WMO SDS-WAS Regional Node for Gulf Cooperation Council countries, coordinated by a Regional Center in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, hosted by National Center for Meteorology (NCM)
Recent Publications
- SDS-WAS Science and Implementation Plan 2020-2025
- Training Materials and Best Practices for Chemical Weather/Air Quality Forecasting
- WMO Airborne Dust Bulletins (annual since 2017)
- WMO SDS-WAS Science Progress Report for 2019: GAW-WWRP Report, June 2020
- WMO SDS-WAS Science and Implementation Plan for 2015-2020. WWRP Report 2015-5
- 2020 State of Climate Services: Risk Information and early Warning Systems
- Airborne Dust: A Hazard to Human Health, Environment and Society
- The WMO SDS-WAS Regional Center for Northern Africa, Middle East and Europe
- Global Assessment of Sand and Dust Storms UNEP-WMO-UNCCD Joint Report for UNGA
- Interannual Variability and Decadal Trends in Mineral Dust Aerosol, Ina Tegen, WMO SDS-WAS, Barcelona, SDS-WAS-2016-001