World Meteorological Centre Exeter

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) provides the framework for such international cooperation. As member state of the WMO, the UK shares data with other members in accordance with the Unified Data Policy, and relevant technical manuals. In return, we make use of data produced by other countries. This is done to enable all countries to deliver life-saving services to people, and contributes directly to the United Nations’ Early Warnings for All initiative. 

The WMO Integrated Predication and Processing System (WIPPS) is the programme established to enable sharing of forecast data and related basic services among WMO members. Full details of all the WIPPS centres can be found on the WIPPS Web Portal.

The UK is a Designated Centre for the following activities under WIPPS, all of which are operated by the Met Office: 

• World Meteorological Centre (WMC Exeter) 

• Global Deterministic NWP 

• Global Ensemble NWP 

• Global numerical long-range prediction 

• Annual to decadal climate prediction 

• Lead Centre for annual to decadal climate prediction

• Numerical ocean wave prediction 

• Nuclear environmental emergency response: 

• Volcano watch services for international air navigation 

• Marine meteorological services 

The sections below contain links to the mandated information about the characteristics of the systems we use to produce these data. The information requirements are set out in WMO No. 485, the Manual on WIPPS. Also included below are links to locations where the data can be accessed, to verification statistics, and to other information where these are relevant. 

Global deterministic Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) 

Model characteristics	Numerical weather prediction models - Met Office
Technical description	Global Coupled model v4 assessment report
Verification statistics	WMO Lead Centre for Deterministic Forecast Verification
Primary data channel	WMO Information System (WIS): Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and WIS 2.0
Secondary data channel	Amazon Web Services (AWS) Amazon Sustainability Data Initiative (ASDI), including two-year archive, as described at External data channels - Met Office
	Weather DataHub: Met Office Weather DataHub - Met Office
	Visualisation of global NWP over Africa: Africa Web Viewer (login required)
	Tropical cyclone guidance: Tropical cyclones - Met Office

Global ensemble Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) 

Model characteristics	Numerical weather prediction models - Met Office
Technical description	Global Coupled model v4 assessment report
Verification statistics	The Lead Centre on Verification of Ensemble Prediction Systems
Primary data channel	We plan to make global ensemble NWP data available on WIS 2.0
Secondary data channel	Weather DataHub: Met Office Weather DataHub - Met Office

Global numerical long-range prediction 

The Met Office is designated by the WMO as a global producing centre for Long-range Forecasts (GPC-LRF). Additionally, as the lead centre for LRF, we coordinate and make available long-range forecasts from all the GPCs on behalf of all WMO Members.  

Model characteristics	WMO LRF MME
Verification statistics	Global long-range model probability skill maps - Met Office
Primary data channel	Long Range Predictions - Met Office
Lead Centre website	WMO LRF MME (data and verification from all LRF centres)

Annual to decadal climate prediction 

The Met Office is the Lead Centre for Annual to Decadal Climate Prediction. We are also a Global Producing Centre (GPC) for annual to decadal prediction. As the Lead Centre, we collect forecasts and verification data from a number of contributing centres worldwide. We produce a multi-model forecast each year, published in the Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update. The forecast data are provided for guidance of expert authorities and are not themselves an official forecast.

Model characteristics	WMO LC Annual-to-Decadal Climate Prediction (listed under “MOHC” column)
Data and verification statistics	WMO LC Annual-to-Decadal Climate Prediction
Publications	Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update

 

Numerical ocean wave prediction 

Technical description	Met Office Global Wave Model
Model characteristics	WMO Lead Centre for Wave Forecast Verification (LC-WFV) (in “UKMO” row)
Primary data channel	WMO Information System (WIS): Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and WIS 2.0
Verification statistics	WMO Lead Centre for Wave Forecast Verification (LC-WFV)s

Nuclear environmental emergency response 

As a designated centre for nuclear environmental emergency response, we provide information to government and other authorities in the event of the release of nuclear material, as part of the WMO Emergency Response Activities (ERA) 

Information on hazards services	CBRN incident management - Met Office
WMO ERA webpage	Emergency Response Activities (ERA) | World Meteorological Organization
Dispersion model characteristics	Met Office dispersion model - Met Office

Volcano watch services for international air navigation 

Although listed in the WMO WIPPS manual, designation of Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAACs) is managed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Information on London VAAC can be found here: Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) - Met Office. 

Marine meteorological services 

The Met Office provides warnings and routine forecasts for mariners on behalf of the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency. We also act as the coordinator of services within METAREA I, an area of the north-east Atlantic Ocean, on behalf of WMO. Note that the websites below are not part of the Maritime Safety Information system and should not be relied upon as the only means of accessing warnings and forecasts. 

Service description	Coast and Sea - Met Office
METAREA I warnings and forecasts	WMO-IMO WWMIWS