Overview
Additional Information
Overview
International collaborations are a key aspect of the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS)' work, has established several partnerships with leading climate/weather science institutes to develop world-class climate and numerical weather prediction (NWP) capabilities tailored for Singapore and the surrounding region. Two-way exchange of scientific knowledge, access to global observations in real-time, collaborative development of sophisticated climate modelling systems, and outreach activities are key features of these collaborations.
Additional Information
Collaborations
1. ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC)The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), hosted by the MSS and working closely with ASEAN National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and Environment Agencies, seeks to improve scientific understanding and prediction of weather and climate systems of significance to the ASEAN region. It also serves as the regional centre for monitoring land/forest fires and haze for ASEAN, including provision of an operational service for early warning of transboundary haze. In collaboration with various partners, ASMC conducts regional capability development programmes in areas such as weather forecasting, haze monitoring, subseasonal-to-seasonal prediction, and climate change projections. ASMC also coordinates the conduct of the biannual ASEAN Climate Outlook Forum amongst ASEAN NMHSs and international experts to arrive at a consensus of the regional seasonal outlook for the upcoming season.
2. Southeast Asia Regional Climate Centre NetworkMSS has also spearheaded the establishment of the Southeast Asia Regional Climate Centre Network to strengthen the region’s capacity in delivering better operational climate services. The Network is a collaborative effort between MSS, the Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics of the Republic of Indonesia (BMKG) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), with each node taking the lead in various functions, i.e. regional long-range forecasts, operational climate data services and climate monitoring, respectively.
3. Unified Model PartnershipMSS/CCRS became a core member of the international Unified Model (UM) Partnership in Feb 2022, following several years as an associate member. Core membership provides MSS/CCRS’s with a seat on the UM Partner Board, contributing directly to strategic decisioning for all partners (other core partners include UK, Australia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, and India). The UM is a suite of earth system modelling software used for weather and climate modelling applications. The UM partnership enables scientific and technical collaboration on a shared modelling system, implemented at CCRS in both weather (‘SINGV’ Numerical Weather Prediction) and regional climate (‘V3’ national climate projection) applications. Working together reduces the cost and increases efficiency of the development through shared scientific and technical knowledge and development. It leverages science and technical effort beyond that possible from a single organisation.
4. UK Met OfficeMSS/CCRS collaborates with the UK Met Office in the development and application of the Numerical Atmospheric-dispersion Modelling Environment (NAME) in the Southeast Asia region. NAME is a sophisticated tool capable of simulating many atmospheric dispersion phenomena (e.g. haze, air quality, volcanic eruptions, etc) and associated physical and chemical processes. The project aims to improve air quality modelling capability for Singapore. The UK Met Office also coordinates the international UM partnership, and is CCRS’s main partner in joint weather/climate modelling R&D.
5. Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)MSS collaborates with the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) in areas of mutual interests including aeronautical meteorology, satellite meteorology, and extended and long-range forecasts. CCRS and the JMA’s Tokyo Climate Center (TCC) also commenced collaboration projects on climate studies.
6. The Bureau of Meteorology Australia (The Bureau)In 2022, MSS and The Bureau signed a bilateral Strategic Research Agreement (SRA) to undertake collaborative research in weather and climate science research. Initial projects under the SRA will contribute to improved prediction of heavy rainfall in Singapore, improved guidance on emerging seasonal climate trends in the region e.g., the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), as well as an enhanced understanding of future regional climate change through the sharing and development of novel climate data analysis tools. The outcomes of the joint research will help MSS, and the Bureau deliver enhanced forecast and warning services for decision-making, as well as to guide climate change adaptation plans.