WWRP Leads Coordination of Five Major 2026 Winter Field Experiments

WWRP is leading an effort to coordinate and develop synergies among of five major field experiments scheduled for January–February 2026 aimed at improving the prediction of extreme winter weather across the Northern Hemisphere. These projects—AR Recon, NAWDIC, NURTURE, PONEX, and SAFARI—are endorsed or pending endorsement by the World Weather Research Programme and build upon the legacy of THORPEX, incorporating modern advances in airborne instrumentation, satellite data, and AI-driven forecasting. 

The coordination effort also involves leads from the Global Precipitation Experiment in WCRP, ESA, ECMWF and EUMETNET. A focus of all projects to understand diabatic processes (atmospheric radiation, clouds, precipitation and surface heat and moisture fluxes) and their interaction with atmospheric dynamics, particularly in regions where satellite data is sparse, and comparing airborne and satellite observations in other regions. By coordinating observations across Arctic, midlatitude, and subtropical systems, the campaigns aim to address overarching questions about the lifecycle of air masses, gaps in observational coverage across the Northern Hemisphere, and limitations in numerical modelling. Aircraft and ground-based instruments will be deployed from seven global bases, enabling quasi-Lagrangian sampling and nearly hemispheric-scale coverage. The initiative also includes synergistic activities such as international coordination meetings, enhanced observational strategies, and plans for scientific exchange through workshops and conferences.