TCWC WellingtonActivity Report

Presented to the 4th Tropical Cyclone RSMCs Technical Coordination Meeting

by Rod Stainer

New Zealand’s Responsibities

• Wellington is an RSMC with geographical specialisation, but is designated as a tropical cyclone warning centre for the subtropical region of the South Pacific south of 25 south.

• Wellington provides SIGMETs for a portion of the Pacific Ocean through to 5 south - FIR modified in August 2002

New Zealand’s TCWC AOR

Auckland Oceanic FIR

Contingency Arrangements

• RSMC Wellington will takeover as TCWC for Nadi’s area of responsibility in the event of an outgage at RSMC Nadi.

• Last takeover due to storm damage occurred in 1984

Nadi Backup Procedures (1)

• When there is a direct threat posed by a tropical cyclone Nadi:– Advises Wellington that it will initiate

Check Bulletins on the GTS at 30 min intervals:This is Check Bulletin Number One issued by RSMC Nadi at {time, date}

Nadi Backup Procedures (2)

• In the event of a Check Bulletin failure, Wellington attempts to ascertain the operational status of Nadi;

• If three Check Bulletins are missed and no contact has been established with Nadi then Wellington takes over Nadi’s TCWC responsibilities.

Services Provided (1)

• First Priority (must be issued)– TC Alerts and Warnings for Island groups– Marine Warnings– SIGMETs– Special Advisory (for Vanuata)

• Second Priority (all efforts made)– Tropical Disturbance Advisory– High Seas Bulletins– 24 Hour TAFs

Services Provided (2)

• Third Priority (only if resources allow)– Aviation Area forecasts– Minor TAFs

• Fourth Priority (only if resources allow)– Routine public weather bulletins

Preparation for TC Season

• An annual 1 day workshop for forecasters is held generally in November, covering:– Back-up and contingency arrangements;– monitoring procedures;– case studies from the previous season;– forecasting techniques.

Analysis

• SNOWIE, interactive forecaster chart analysis tool

• Heavy reliance on subjective satellite imagery techniques to provide “ball park” wind speeds

• Dvorak not used systematically

CYTRACK

• Interactive tool for monitoring tropical cyclones;

• Operational, forecast and model cyclone positions - entered manually

• Provides an extrapolated track;

• Database for historical information

Communications with Governments (1)

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade– Contribute to pre-season briefing to

coordinate disaster relief planning, with participants from the Ministries of Defence, and Civil Defence & Emergency Management, officials from the French Embassy and Australian High Commission.

– MFAT immediately advise of a development of a new TC, forwarded all warnings

Communications with Governments (2)

• FRANZ, high level inter-governmental coordination committee concerning Pacific disaster relief that recommends policy to governments

• Steve Ready from MetService will be participating at the next FRANZ meeting in Wellington on 2 December

Communications with Governments (3)

• Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management are immediately advised whenever a cyclone enters the area south of 20 south between longitudes 160 east and 170 west

Communications with Governments (4)

• Radio New Zealand International – Provides SW services to the Pacific;– Immediately informed by forecasts of a

development of a new TC;– All warnings issued by Nadi are broadcast

on RNZI’s short wave service;– If a cyclone is posing a threat to an Island

Group then RNZI will broadcast warnings around the clock.

Other Activities• Annually exchange best track information with Brisbane

and Nadi• Tropical cyclone summaries for the Wellington area

forwarded to WMO for Annual Tropical Cyclone Summary• Steve Ready presented a workshop to Fiji Met Service

forecaster in June 2001 on “T.C. Monitoring and Tracking”;

• Steve Ready contributed to the WMO/BOM sponsored Southern Hemisphere Course on Tropical Cyclones held in Melbourne in September 2002