GCOS Implementation Plan - WMO

Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC
(2010 Update)
ECV
Wind Speed/
Direction
Precipitation
Contributing
Network(s)
GCOS Surface Network
(subset of full WWW/GOS
surface network).
WWW/GOS
synoptic network.
ATMOSPHERIC DOMAIN – SURFACE
surface
Additional national networks.
Buoys and ships
(see Ocean Surface
section).
GCOS Surface Network
(subset of full WWW/GOS
surface synoptic network).
Full WWW/GOS surface
synoptic network.
Status
Wind is still not included in
GSN.
At least 95 % of stations are
active, but only about 80%
transmit CLIMAT reports.
Quality of data and quantity
of reports are variable.
Additional national Most countries operate
meteorological and national high-resolution
hydrological gauge precipitation networks, but
networks; island networks. data are often not available
internationally, or available
only with time delay.
Contributing
Satellite Data
Scatterometer.
Passive microwave for
wind speed.
Polarimetric
microwave radiometry
for wind vectors
Passive microwave,
VIS/IR on GEO.
Precipitation radar.
Status
Uncertain operational
continuity of twoscatterometer
constellation
High priority for
climate applications
Uncertain continuity of
precipitation radar,
Temporal and spatial
sampling limitations.
Surface-based
networks.
Buoys
radar
Radar data not globally
exchanged; spatial and
temporal sampling
limitations.
Water
Vapour
Surface
Radiation
Budget
GCOS Surface Network
(subset of full WWW/GOS
surface synoptic network);
Full WWW/GOS surface
synoptic network.
Ships and moored buoys
BSRN.
WWW/GOS
synoptic network.
surface
Additional national networks.
Water vapour is only partly
included in CLIMAT reports,
and not monitored.
VOSClim stable; VOS fleet
declining; no measurement
from drifting buoys and only
from a subset of moored
buoys
High-quality data, but
coverage should be
extended and continuity
secured.
Quality and coverage of
routine radiation data is
inadequate for climate
purposes.
Limited availability of highquality
data in national
networks.
GEWEX
Radiation
project
Surface Solar from satellites
Budget
For longwave, satellite
data are used to
estimate cloud
parameters and nearsurface
thermodynamics fields
are typically taken
from NWP models
The primary networks contributing to climate observations at the Earth’s surface include:
• Over land, the WMO WWW/GOS surface synoptic observing network (~10 000 stations) provides
the major in situ observations of the following ECVs: Temperature, Air Pressure, Precipitation,
Water Vapour, Surface Radiation (e.g., sunshine duration, solar irradiance) and Wind Speed and
Direction. Included in this network is the global baseline GSN. The GSN comprises about 1000
stations that have been selected from the full available network based on past performance and
their contribution towards a global representation of the climate system. The operators of GSN
stations, in particular, are encouraged to fully meet the GCMPs for observation and for data
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