GIFS-TIGGE Working Group Meeting
Seventh meeting
1800, 15 September 2009, Driftwood 1, Portola Hotel, Monterey
DRAFT MINUTES
Present: Zoltan Toth (NOAA), Richard Swinbank (UKMO), Ken Mylne (UKMO),Carole Labadie (Meteo-France), David Monkam (Univ. Douala), Jim Caughey(WMO), David Burridge (WMO), Dave Parsons (WMO), Olivier Talagrand(LMD/CNRS), Tom Hamill (NOAA), Kaustuha Bhattacharya (NCMRWF), Bian
Xiaofeng (CMA), Jing Chen (CMA), Tetsuo Nakazawa (JMA), Mio Matsueda(JMA), Laurie Wilson (EC), Tiziana Pacagnella (ARPA-SIM), Craig Bishop (NRL)Baudouin Raoult (ECMWF), Kamal Puri (BoM), David Richardson (ECMWF), PeterChen (WMO), Doug Schuster (NCAR)
1. Opening
RS welcomed everyone to the meeting. Given the limited time available thisevening, RS explained that we would not go through the detailed actions agreed at theprevious working group (WG) meeting, but we would instead limit the agenda to thehighest priority items. We plan to have a full meeting in a few months’ time whereissues would be discussed at greater length. Since several attendees were observers or
were standing in for regular WG members, all the meeting participants introduced
themselves before proceeding with the formal agenda.
2. Publicising TIGGE
RS highlighted the importance of publicising TIGGE to both current and potential
users of the TIGGE archive data. A particular priority, to help researchers understandthe TIGGE data, is to ensure that the model descriptions that are available on thewebsite are both complete and up to date. He noted that a few centres had still notprovided model descriptions in the Excel format agreed previously by the WG.
Action 7.2.1: RS to send a further request to centres which have not provided
descriptions in the agreed format.
Action 7.2.2: All to provide updates to model descriptions after significant changes
It was suggested that we should publicise both research studies carried out using
TIGGE data, and information about ensemble forecasting techniques used by theTIGGE forecast centres. RS noted that the TIGGE website carries a list of TIGGErelated publication, though this is not necessarily up to date.
Action 7.2.3: All to send details of TIGGE-related papers to ECMWF for inclusion onthe website.
DB asked the working group to consider ourselves a group of scientists promoting
ensemble prediction, rather than just technical experts. RS said that the co-chairs
would like to develop the TIGGE website to include more information about theGIFS-TIGGE working group and our meetings, and to include plans for GIFS as they

develop. DR confirmed that ECMWF are happy to continue hosting the TIGGE
website.
Action 7.2.4: RS & ZT to liaise with DR over expanding material on the TIGGE
websiteAlthough the usage of the TIGGE data was thought to be higher than suggested by
the raw usage statistics of the TIGGE data, RS said that the WG needs to consider
ways to publicise TIGGE both nationally and regionally. DB asked the co-chairs toprovide illustrations and write a one-page description to help publicise TIGGE at theGEO plenary. This flyer could also be used for general promotion of TIGGE. DB
suggested promoting TIGGE via national Meteorological Societies, and volunteered
IPO help.
Action 7.2.5: RS & ZT to provide TIGGE illustrations and write one-pager to help
promote TIGGE.
3. GIFS-FDP proposal
RS distributed copies of the latest draft (v4) of the proposal for a GIFS Forecasting
Demonstration Project. The aim of the project is to develop and evaluate products tohelp forecast high-impact weather – specifically tropical cyclones and then heavy
precipitation. It is planned to engage with the operational community by initiallyrunning GIFS-FDP regional subprojects in conjunction with the CBS Severe Weather
Forecast Demonstration Project. The current draft takes into account points raised
during the WG teleconference that took place on …. Given that the briefness of thismeeting, there would only be limited time for discussion, but the co-chairs would
welcome comments sent by email after the meeting.
DP commented that the project would be more appropriate as a WWRP research &demonstration project (RDP) than a forecast demonstration project (FDP).
Verification should be an important component – including user-oriented verification
as well as conventional verification statistics. It was noted that verification should bea key component of evaluating products in an RDP. PC commented that, in practice,in was not possible to do as much verification as intended in the Southern African
SWFDP subproject. DB asked for additional feedback to be sent to the co-chairs by
the end of September, to allow a revised version to be produced in good time fordiscussion at the ICSC-8.
Action 7.3.1: All to provide any additional comments to RS & ZT by end ofSeptember
ZT asked for volunteers to lead the two prototype product development groups.
TN agreed to lead the Tropical Cyclone group, probably in conjunction with acolleague from CMA (to be nominated). KP suggested Beth Ebert would also beinterested in co-leading the TC group. Although no-one committed themselves toleading the precipitation group, LW said he would consider this.
4. Proposed extended WG meeting
The next meeting of the GIFS-TIGGE WG is planned to be a joint meeting withWWRP-THORPEX and CBS/SWFDP experts. The main focus of the meeting would
be development of details plans for the GIFS-FDP. RS suggested meeting in Geneva
in February 2010; this would facilitate participation by WMO staff. It should also bepossible to coordinate the WG meeting with a planned meeting of the SWFDP
Steering Group which is also proposed for February. It was agreed that this would bea suitable time-frame.
Action 7.4.1: RS/ZT to finalise meeting dates, coordinating with planned SWFDP SGmeeting.
5. Any Other Business
RS noted that the planned Shanghai EXPO project in Spring 2010 needs real-timeaccess to CXML cyclone track forecasts. There was general agreement that thisshould be expedited.
Action 7.5.1: All data providers requested to enable real-time access to real-time
cyclone track forecasts..