200 - Typhoon Committee

TCAR
CHAPTER 1 - TYPHOON COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES 2007
2007
e. Research Progress
Nil.
f. Other Cooperative/Strategic Plan
Progress
Nil.
2. Progress in Member’s Important,
High-Priority Goals and Objectives
A warning panel on localized gales over Hong Kong
would be put into trial in October 2007 for the Home
Affairs Department (HAD) which provides shelter and
welfare to the needy. This warning panel (Figure 6)
gives easily recognizable visual and audio alerts when
gales are reported at any of the 8 different districts in
Hong Kong. It alerts HAD officials to make decision on
the opening of temporary shelters for people affected
by inclement weather during the passage of tropical
cyclones.
a. Hardware and/or Software Progress
The Tropical Cyclone Information Processing System
(TIPS) continued to provide support to forecasters during
tropical cyclone situations (Figure 5). The program was
enhanced by including tropical cyclone forecast tracks
from the China Meteorological Administration numerical
model and ECMWF ensemble model for reference by HKO
forecasters and for generation of the ensemble track. And
as a result of the recent tropical cyclone warning signal
system review, new tools were built into the system for
calculating key parameters such as location and timing
of closest approach of the tropical cyclone, duration of
strong and gale force winds and local storm surge levels
and timings to aid warning decision. Furthermore, in
response to comments from forecasters, quality control
measures such as range checking on the tropical cyclone
positions was incorporated into the data input stage to
reduce the chance of human errors.
Figure 6 Localized gales warning panel for the Home
Affairs Department of Government of the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region.
Furthermore, a specialized “Weather Information for
Schools” webpage was introduced in April 2007 to
provide the latest weather forecasts and warnings,
rainfall distribution, regional wind condition as well as
other information relevant to school teachers, parents
and students, to enable them to better plan their
activities and take appropriate precautions against
inclement weather.
b. Implications to Operational Progress
Nil.
c. Interaction with users, other Members
and/or other components
Figure 5 TIPS displays NWP forecast tracks and the
multi-model ensemble track (thick black line) to support
forecasting operations during Severe Tropical Storm
Lekima in September-October 2007.
As a continuing effort to promote awareness and
preparedness of natural disasters, courses, lectures,
briefings and visits to HKO were held for the general
public. HKO also paid visits to relevant government
departments and organizations to review disaster
preparedness and prevention procedures for tropical
cyclones and rainstorms. Briefings and visits to HKO
were held for government departments, transport
operators, container terminal operators, insurance
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