RHMSS and South East European Virtual Climate Change Center: overview of operational, research and development activities

Milan Dacic, Vladimir Djurdjevic, Goran Pejanovic
Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia (RHMSS)

Abstract:

The Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia (RHMSS) is the national weather service of Serbia. RHMSS is the host of the South East European Virtual Climate Change Center (SEEVCCC). The SEEVCCC has been given a mandate by the WMO Regional Association VI (Europe and Middle East) to develop and implement data services, training and capacity-building, and research and development in South East Europe. This work will be carried out in accordance with the WMO RA VI Implementation plan for Regional Climate Center-Network, and will be in compliance with the WMO Information System requirements (WIS) for a Data Collection and Production Center (DCPC) covering South East Europe. The South East Europe Climate Change Framework Action Plan for Adaptation was developed at the UNECE Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe” (Belgrade, 2007). The plan also specifies priorities for enhancement of international and bilateral co-operation in order to contribute to relevant WMO programs. The research agenda of SEEVCCC was adopted during the recent Ministerial Meeting and the Expert Research and Development Workshop in Belgrade. The place of RHMSS and SEEVCCC within the WMO system will be explained and an overview of their operational, research and development activities will be given.

RHMSS performs the role of a national meteorological center as defined by WMO. Operational short range forecasts are computed with the NCEP Eta and WRF-NMM models. Since recently, medium range forecasts are produced using the global NCEP NMMB atmospheric model. Operational activities of SEEVCCC include maintenance of a system for climate data collection and climate monitoring over South East Europe and application of a system for regional dynamical downscaling and seasonal forecasting. Activities connected with research and development cover evaluation of climate change scenarios using coupled atmospheric-ocean regional climate model. Numerical simulations are used for impact studies, dust-aerosol transport and interaction with various processes in the atmosphere, and hydrological modeling. The main research effort is aimed at developing an accurate and robust Earth Modeling System with NCEP NMMB as the driving module. The Earth Modeling System includes components such as aerosols, ocean, soil, hydrology etc. Examples of various operational products and results from development activities will be presented.