ET Joint CIMO 2nd Session Surface Based Instrument Intercomparisons and Calibration Methods and IOC on Surfaced-Based Intercomparisons
Geneva, Switzerland, 5-9 December 2005

The WMO pdf report of this meeting is available at: http://www.wmo.ch/web/www/IMOP/reports.html

Attendees:
Mr Michel LEROY,ET Chair - Météo France DSO/DOS
Mr Eckhard LANZINGER - Deutscher Wetterdiest, Germany
Prof. Luca LANZA - Department of Environmental Engineering (DIAM), University of Genoa. Italy
Mr Khalid I. EL FADLI - Libyan Meteorological Department
Mr Igor ZAHUMENSKY - Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute
Dr Bruce BAKER - U.S. Climate Reference Network, National Climate Data Center
Dr Luigi STAGI - Department of Environmental Engineering (DIAM), University of Genoa, Italy
Mr Christophe ALEXANDROPOULOS - Météo France DSO/DOS
Mr Willem WAUBEN - Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Mr Jitze van der MEULEN - Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Dr Emanuele VUERICH - Italian Air Force Met Service - Experimentation Centre of Met Instrumentation
Dr Paolo PAGANO - Italian Meteorological Service Aeroporto F. Baracca - Centocelle
Ms Muriel LACOMBE - Météo France
Dr Miroslav ONDRÁŠ - Observing System Division, World Weather Watch Department, WMO
Mr Gerhard PEVNY - HMEI representative from LOGOTRONIC GMBH, Austria
Mr Panu KOPSALA - HMEI representative from VAISALA OYJ, Finland
Mr Bruce SUMNER - HMEI Executive Secretary
Ms Christine CHARSTONE - HMEI Administrator

Item 1 - Opening of the Session
Dr A. Karpov opened the session at 9.30am. HMEI participation was welcomed, and the generous support of the manufacturers was acknowledged. It was noted that the Intercomparison could not have occurred without the manufacturers help and support.

Item 2 - Report of the Chairman
The ET/IOC Chairman, Mr Leroy, gave the floor to the Intercomparison Project Manager, Dr Luca Lanza, who reported verbally on the Intercomparison and presented the Final Draft Report of the Intercomparison in two parts, the 1st a descriptive part and the 2nd the presentation of the results, for the consideration of the meeting.

Mr Leroy presented a graph of the timetable showing the expected flow of dates of events for the Intercomparison and the actual progress of the Intercomparisons.

Prof. Lanza apologized for the late preparation of the report, which was not sent finally to participants the afternoon of Friday 2nd December. Because of this, the members of the meeting were then given time to read the report in order to be able to make comments on the report.

The HMEI Executive Secretary pointed out that as HMEI and thus HMEI manufacturers involved in the Intercomparisons had only been sent the report on the Friday before this meeting, those not attending this ET meeting in person would not have much opportunity to respond to any perceived issues before the report was finalized during this meeting. The meeting Secretary Dr Ondráš, asked HMEI to request its members who had participated in the Intercomparison to send any comments by Wednesday 7th November. HMEI pointed out that this would not necessarily be enough notice for responses from HMEI member Intercomparison participants not attending the meeting.

Item 3 - Presentation and revision of the draft Final Report
The meeting reviewed the draft report in detail, and made many additions and corrections.
Particular concern was expressed from the manufacturers point of view about Figures 17 and Figure 18 in the "Overall Considerations" part of the report. It was agreed that Figures 17 should accurately reflect the ranges that the individual instruments could actually achieve, with out extrapolating beyond their stated range, and with a note pointing out those instruments which had a range higher than that shown on the graph. Similarly, intervention from the HMEI manufacturer representatives ensured that the comparative "synthesis of results" chart, for all the participating rain intensity gauges, noted the ranges at which the instruments were CIMO compliant, rather than blanket (and thus misleading) "yes/no" statements of considering instruments CIMO compliant.

Actions:
The report on this Laboratory Intercomparison of Rain Gauges, as presented in Annex 111 of the CIMO report of this meeting, will be published on the CIMO/IMOP website and later in the IOM Report, it will also be distributed to WMO Members and participating manufactures. The Intercomparison database will be kept by Météo France, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, University of Genoa and WMO. It will be available for further scientific studies. 

Dr Luca informed the meeting of a General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) Vienna, Austria in 2006, where he would like to present a paper or papers on the RI Intercomparison results, and perhaps after this in an appropriate scientific journal or journals.

Item 4 - Field Intercomparisons of Rainfall Intensity Gauges, In Various Climatic Regions
Consideration was given to having extra Lab Intercomparisons, with extra instruments tested, before a Field Intercomparison in Italy, 2007.

The Vaisala representative informed the meeting of new developments in Vaisala's RI technologies and including a new rainfall-testing tower they have developed to help develop such equipment. He expressed Vaisala's eagerness to participate in further testing prior to Field Intercomparisons.

The proposal, to hold the Field Intercomparison at Italian Air Force Centre of Meteorological Experimentation's ResMA site in Italy, was presented.

Discussion on the objectives and methods for the Intercomparison included looking whether to have the Rain Gauges set up with CIMO recommended windscreens or to have them presented in the Intercomparison exactly as they are set up at the meteorological sites where they are used.

Actions:
A Field Intercomparison of Rainfall Intensity (RI) Gauges to take place at Italian Air Force Centre of Meteorological Experimentation (ResMA) site in Vigna di Valle, Italy, at the beginning of 2007.

Selection of Instruments will take place in October/November 2006.

See the WMO report for full details of the decisions resulting from these proposals and discussions.

Item 5 - Combined Intercomparison of Thermometer Screens/Shields, in Conjunction with Humidity Measurements, in Various Climatic Regions
Mr Leroy gave a presentation on a proposed Intercomparison, in Ghardaia, Algeria, focusing on instruments in desert conditions. This is proposed to commence in November 2006 and to finish in October 2007.

See further details and Actions on Item 5 please refer to the WMO report of the meeting.

Item 6 - Work Plan
The work plan for the ET was updated as per decisions of the meeting.

Closure of the Session
The meeting closed at 5pm on 9th December 2005