Transcript Snow Watch Terms of Reference

Snow Watch Team
Terms of Reference
Overview and discussion items for
Columbus Meeting, June 13-14, 2016
Ross Brown and Kari Luojus with input
from Barry Goodison
Teams in GCW
Current Members of Snow Watch Team
Name
Role
Organization
Continent
Ross Brown
Co-lead
Environment and Climate
Change Canada
North America
Chris Derksen
Team member
Environment and Climate
Change Canada
North America
Patricia de Rosnay
Team member
European Centre for Medium
Range Weather Forecasting
Europe
Sean Helfrich
Team member
US National Ice Center
North America
Kari Luojus
Co-lead
Finnish Meteorological Inst.
Europe
Samantha Pullen
Team member
UK Met Office
Europe
David Robinson
Team member
Rutgers University
North America
Continents currently not represented: Africa, Asia, Australasia, South America
Terms of Reference of the Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW) Integrated Products Working Group
Under the general guidance of the GCW Steering Group (GSG), the Integrated Products Working Group
will identify key GCW datasets, facilitate the harmonization of similar products, facilitate product
intercomparisons, and oversee the development of data policies for GCW including data exchange by
the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Members. The Group will consider data homogeneity,
interoperability, and compatibility of GCW observing and monitoring systems and derived
cryospheric products. Specifically, it will:
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Liaise with the cryospheric community and the Polar Space Task Group of the Executive Council
Panel of Experts on Polar Observations, Research and Services (EC-PORS) in developing an
inventory of candidate in situ and satellite products for GCW;
Liaise with the cryospheric community and the Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and
Marine Meteorology (JCOMM) Expert Team on Sea Ice (ETSI) in developing products related to the
role of sea ice in the global climate system for GCW;
Identify key (authoritative) GCW datasets and products;
Facilitate conduct of cryospheric product intercomparisons to assess quality and to ensure the
authoritative basis for products; provide scientific and technical reports of results;
Provide links to key (authoritative) products through the GCW Data Portal and/or GCW Website;
Collate and share detailed documentation for use of the GCW (authoritative) products;
Oversee the development of data policy for GCW in consultation with other Working Groups and
provide a draft to GSG for consideration of EC-PORS;
Recommends establishment of teams to GSG, as appropriate, such as the Snow Watch Team and
define the Terms of References of those teams;
Report annually to GSG, including recommendations regarding GCW products.
Proposed ToR for Snow Watch Team
Roles:
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Assess the maturity, accuracy and homogeneity of snow data, products and
information
Identify priority issues and actions for improved observing of global snow cover,
including regional and national scales
Provide advice to WMO on issues related to real-time reporting of in situ and
remote sensing of snow cover
Liaise with the cryosphere community, and WMO bodies, to maintain up-to-date
knowledge of snow cover monitoring technologies, programs, datasets and
products
Provide information and advice to the GCW Website on snow-related products and
issues e.g. anomalous snow conditions, extreme events, snow assessments
Contribute to establishing “Guidelines and Best Practices” for snow observing
Contribute to defining/refining snow related terminology
Provide progress updates to the Integrated Products WG and/or GCW Secretariat
upon request
Provide support to GCW Steering Group, Working Groups and Teams as required
Snow Watch Team ToR contd
Membership:
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Team members are recognized snow experts.
Efforts should be made to encourage global representation with at least 1 team
member from each WMO Region
New team member recommendations are made to Integrated Products WG by Snow
Watch Team co-leads following consultation with team members.
The Team will have two co-leads from different WMO Regions. The period for coleadership is not limited, but should be rotated around the team and reviewed on an
annual basis.
The size of the Snow Watch team??? Should there be a limit e.g. 10?
Members will be nominated to address team priorities; membership will be reviewed
annually by the Team co-leads, the IIntegrated Products WG and approved by the GCW
Steering Group
Accountability:
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The co-leads report to the chairs of the Integrated Products WG
Snow Watch Team ToR contd
Working Methods:
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Regular meetings will be held online at least twice yearly with a face-to-face meeting
approximately once every two years involving the participation of invited experts
The chair of meetings will be rotated between the co-leads and the meeting chair is
responsible for the meeting minutes
A draft agenda will be circulated at least 1 month prior to the proposed meeting date
with a request for discussion items
Experts may be invited to participate in meetings to address certain topics
Tasks defined by the team will be on-going between meetings, as defined by the team’s
workplan
Review:
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The Terms of Reference are to be reviewed annually