World Meteorological Organization

JMA to start distribution of new SYNOP reporting at Syowa Station, Antarctica 

Notification from Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)

As from 12 March 2025, JMA will begin to distribute new SYNOP reports using official BUFR template TM307080 at Syowa Station, Antarctica at non-standard time.

Table 1. SYNOP BUFR Data at Syowa Station 

Published: 16 December 2024

Adoption of amendments to the WIS2 Manual and Guide by the fast-track procedure (FT2024-2)

Notification from the WMO Secretariat

In accordance with the Rules of Procedure for Technical Commissions (WMO-No. 1240) Annex VII, amendments to the Manual on WIS (WMO-No. 1060), Volume II and the Guide to WIS (WMO-No. 1061), Volume II have been approved through the WMO fast-track approval procedure. The amendment details are available here,  and the implementation date is 19 November 2024. 

Published: 11 December 2024

Adoption of amendments to Manual on Codes (WMO-No. 306) by the fast-track procedure (FT2024-2)

Notification from the WMO Secretariat

In accordance with the Rules of Procedure for Technical Commissions (WMO-No. 1240) Annex VII, amendments to the Manual on Codes (WMO-No. 306), Volume I.2 and Volume I.3 (with the WMO Codes Registry) have been approved through the WMO fast-track approval procedure. The amendment details are available here,  and the implementation date is 19 November 2024. 

The machine-readable tables of GRIB (v34), BUFR (v43), and Common Codes (v2024-11-19) are available here.  

Published: 11 December 2024

Bhutan to Begin SYNOP Reporting on 6 November 2024

Notification from the National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), Bhutan

The National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) of Bhutan will commence the global distribution of SYNOP data via the WIS/GTS at 06:00 UTC on 6 November 2024. This milestone marks the culmination of two years of system development and observer training, achieved through close collaboration between NCHM, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and with support from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). This is a significant achievement in enhancing Bhutan’s meteorological capabilities.

Table 1. SYNOP BUFR Data (CCCC=BTBH)

(* Automatic Weather Station, Others are all Manned Stations)

If you have any questions, please contact Singay Dorji (sdorji@nchm.gov.bt).  

Published: 16 October 2024

Format Change of Radar Composite Precipitation Estimation Product

Notification from the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD)

The distribution of the MeteoSwiss "Radar Composite Precipitation Estimation" in BUFR format (GTS Header: PAAU20 LSSW) will officially end on November 20, 2024. This product will continue to be available in ODIM HDF5 format, maintaining the same frequency and resolution under the new header PAAY20 LSSW.

If you have any questions, please contact GISC Offenbach (wis@dwd.de).  

Published: 04 October 2024

Updates to the DBNet network

Notification from the WMO Secretariat

Starting from 24/09/2024, ATOVS, ATMS, IASI data from the Edmonton and Gander stations will no longer be relayed by EUMETSAT but instead will be transmitted through NOAA Direct Broadcast Real-Time Network (DBRTN) on the GTS via NOAA NCEP. Additionally, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) will also begin to disseminate data from its Resolute station, which provides L-band reception only. Resolute data will also be transmitted through DBRTN:

Table 1. Resolute data via DBRTN 

Further details regarding GTS headers are available at https://nwp-saf.eumetsat.int/site/monitoring/dbnet/feeds-of-dbnet-data-from-gts/.

DBNet is coordinated by the WMO Space Programme, overall information is available at https://community.wmo.int/activity-areas/wmo-space-programme-wsp/dbnet.

Published: 19 September2024

Announcement for Tropical Belt Dropsonde Campaign from August to November 2024

Notification from the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD)

The PERCUSION^[1] campaign will take place from 8 August 2024 - 24 November 2024 on Cape Verde, Barbados and from Oberpfaffenhofen. Campaign topics are the validation of the ESA EarthCARE satellite and the interaction of clouds and precipitation in the intra-tropical convergence zone.

DWD will disseminate the sampled dropsonde data as UZXT99 EDZW via WIS/GTS. If you have any questions, please contact WIS/GISC Offenbach team at wis@dwd.de.

[1] https://orcestra-campaign.org/percusion.html#

Published: 16 July 2024

New Bulletins of Hourly AVOS SHIP from the Meteorological Service of Canada in the BUFR Format Available as of 25 June 2024

Notification from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) – Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC)

ECCC will begin disseminating new bulletins of hourly AVOS ship data from recruited Canadian ships starting 25th June 2024.

Table 1. Updated Hourly BUFR Data 

For additional information regarding the bulletins, please contact (SYSTEMEDEGESTIONDESDONNEES-DATAMANAGEMENTSYSTEM@EC.GC.CA). 

Published: 25 June 2024

Hong Kong, China to Exchange Higher Resolution TEMP DROP BUFR Data

Notification from Hong Kong Observatory

From 27 June 2024, the dropsonde data collected and disseminated by the Hong Kong Observatory via WIS/GTS during tropical cyclone reconnaissance missions will contain more vertical levels. Comparing with old BUFR which provides weather elements on 16 preset pressure levels, the new files contain data from the entire profile. The same BUFR template 309053 (Sequence for representation of TEMP DROP observation type data) is used for data reporting. A sample can be obtained at https://acnf.weather.gov.hk/tempdrop-bufr-sample/sample.bufr.php for testing.

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Ping CHEUNG, Senior Scientific Officer of the Hong Kong Observatory at pcheung@hko.gov.hk.

Published: 25 June 2024

Arctic Ocean Radio Soundings Available from 5 August to 17 September 2024

Notification from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)

Arctic Ocean radio soundings will be available two times a day (00, 12 UTC) from 5 August to 17 September 2024 as a part of the GEOEO (North Greenland Earth-Ocean-Ecosystem Observatory) research expedition. Soundings will be released from Swedish research icebreaker Oden (call sign SMLQ) in the area north of Greenland, and reported using bufr 309057.

The GTS headers are as below:

• IUSN41 ESWI (complete sounding)
• IUKN41 ESWI (up to 100 hPa)

You can find more information about the expedition here: https://www.polar.se/en/research-support/polar-research-process/theme-geoeo/ .

If you have any questions, please contact Cecilia Lund, Senior Research Officer, Swedish Polar Research Secretariat at cecilia.lund@polar.se . 

Published: 20 June 2024

SWOT OGDR Product Data from CNES Available

Notification from the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD)

EUMETSAT started disseminating SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite developed by CNES and NASA) OGDR (near real-time altimeter) product data from CNES on 12 December 2023.

Table 1. SWOT OGDR Data 

(* Data is produced by CNES in Toulouse)

If you have any questions, please contact GISC Offenbach (wis@dwd.de).  

Published: 3 May 2024

HKO GBON Station (HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT) Data Available from May 2024

Notification from the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO)

In compliance with Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) requirements of spatial and temporal resolution for the surface weather network, Hong Kong Observatory will start to disseminate hourly surface data from WIGOS Station ‘HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’ from 06 UTC, 8 May 2024.

Table 1. Hourly BUFR Data 

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Olivia Shuk-ming Lee, Senior Scientific Officer of the Hong Kong Observatory  (olee@hko.gov.hk).

Published: 3 May 2024

New satellite-derived wind vectors for the GTS available from the beginning of Q3 2024

Notification from the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD)

EUMETSAT will disseminate new data in the form of an atmospheric motion vector, namely "IASI 3D wind product". It uses IASI Level 2 data to derive wind profiles. The data will be available from the beginning of Q3 2024.

Table 1. IASI Level 2 (3D winds) Data 

If you have any questions, please contact GISC Offenbach (wis@dwd.de).  

Published: 22 March 2024

Sri Lanka will transit to SYNOP, TEMP, PILOT BUFR data with WIGOS Station ID (WSI)

Notification from Sri Lanka Meteorological Department

From 10 January 2024, Sri Lanka Meteorological Department will start to send SYNOP, TEMP, PILOT data in BUFR format with WIGOS Station ID (WSI).

Table 1. SYNOP, TEMP, PILOT BUFR Data 

In addition to that VCCC will start disseminating SYNOP BUFR data from three new stations with the WIGOS Station Identifier (WSI) "0-144-101-721501, 0-144-101-821501 and 0-144-101-330601". The stations will be added to the existing lists of ISMN01 VCCC and ISIN01 VCCC.

In compliance with Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) requirements of spatial and temporal resolution for the surface weather network, VCCC will be disseminating hourly surface data from 08 AWS stations as of 01 January 2024.  

Table 2. Hourly BUFR Data 

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. M. M. P. Mendis (merilmdi@gmail.com).  

Published: 10 January 2024