ECMWF met its data users at the ‘Using ECMWF’s Forecasts’ (UEF2014) meeting from 4 to 6 June 2014.
An international audience of more than 80 professionals from national meteorological services, commercial businesses and international organisations met at ECMWF to learn about new developments, exchange ideas on the use of ECMWF data and share their experiences. For ECMWF, the meeting was a valuable opportunity to gather feedback on its forecast performance and services.
The Italian Ambassador in London, His Excellency Pasquale Terracciano, and the Scientific attaché, Prof. Roberto di Lauro, were at ECMWF on 6 June 2014. This was the first visit by an Italian Ambassador since ECMWF was established in 1975.
The Director-General, Prof. Alan Thorpe, highlighted the important role of Italy as one of ECMWF’s Member States in providing the resources needed to develop research and operational programmes.
Exceptionally intense rainfalls from 13th May onwards following weeks of wet conditions led to disastrous and wide spread flooding in the Balkans, in particular Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia. Critical flooding was also reported in other countries including Southern Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. The events in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia are reported to be the worst since more than 100 years. 44 casualties have been reported so far for both countries, also one person died due to the floods in Croatia and in the Czech Republic.
Vienna was recently the host of yet another highly successful European Geophysical Union General Assembly from 28 April to 2 May 2014.
This prominent annual event is a collaborative enterprise that brings together geoscientists from all over the world and covers all disciplines of the Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences. ECMWF was very present, from convening sessions to presenting on a broad spectrum of our work.
Last week saw the first bilateral meeting between the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) since both organisations signed a Co-operation Agreement in early 2014.
The CMA delegation attending the 23–24th April discussion at ECMWF headquarters in Reading included:
Yokohama, 31 March 2014 – The IPCC’s Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, a comprehensive assessment report by leading scientists launched here today, offers policymakers and the general public a wealth of information about how climate change will affect the lives of current and future generations – and what governments can do to adapt and reduce vulnerabilities.
