Category Archives: Training Workshop

Use and Interpretation of Data for Fire and Haze Monitoring for the Mekong sub-region and Attachment Programme (13-16 January 2020)

As part of the ASMC 5-year Regional Capability Building Programme for ASEAN Member States, ASMC conducts regular training workshops in the area of land/forest fires and smoke haze monitoring and assessment using data from satellites. This year, the training workshop was held on 13 – 16 January 2020 together with a short attachment stint at ASMC for the Mekong sub-region comprising Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Five participants from the environment, forestry and pollution control sectors joined this year’s programme.

Workshop participants with meteorologists from the ASMC Forecast Office (left). Participants were briefed on the process of assessing the weather and haze situation in the Mekong sub-region (right).

The workshop included lectures for participants to gain foundational understanding of topics such as weather systems in Southeast Asia, sub-seasonal and seasonal predictions, interpretation of satellite imageries, data analysis methodologies, and dispersion modelling as a predictive tool. The lectures were supplemented with hands-on exercises in interpretation of satellite data. The participants also had a short attachment at the ASMC Forecast Office, where they worked with ASMC meteorologists to carry out near real-time assessment of the fire and haze situation in the Mekong sub-region.

Hands-on exercises for participants to practise their skills in analysing weather and satellite data to produce an outlook of the haze situation in the Mekong sub-region (left). Participants visited Meteorological Service Singapore’s Centre for Climate Research where they learnt how subseasonal and seasonal forecasts can augment haze monitoring and assessment efforts (right).

Ms Phayvone Sengphone, Research Officer from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Lao PDR, felt that the lectures and activities conducted during the workshop were interesting and applicable to her work. She found the attachment stint useful in providing insights into ASMC’s operations.

Besides such training workshops focusing on monitoring and assessment of regional fires and smoke haze, three other workshops on the themes of Numerical Weather Prediction, Seasonal to Sub-seasonal Prediction, and ASEAN Climate Data, Analysis and Projections (ARCDAP) are also in the pipeline for this year.

First Module on Weather Prediction by Numerical Methods (18 – 22 Nov 2019)

The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) conducted the Weather Prediction by Numerical Methods Module 1 (WPNM-M1) in Singapore from 18 to 22 November 2019, as part of its 5-year Regional Capability Building Programme rolled out in 2018. The 5-day capability building and knowledge sharing training module was attended by 18 participants from 9 ASEAN National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) and was delivered by lecturers from the Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS) and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

Participants from the ASEAN NMHS with lecturers from CCRS and SUSS at the training module conducted by ASMC in Singapore

The objectives of the training module were to provide participants with a deep understanding of the conceptualisation, formulation and limitations of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models; to equip participants with knowledge on the governing equations used in NWP models; and to equip participants with numerical methods to solve these equations and their associated limitations.

Dr Teo Chee Kiat, a CCRS lecturer, facilitating the hands-on practical sessions using simplified models

A series of 9 lectures were conducted during the WPNM-M1, covering a wide range of topics ranging from the various approximations used in the governing equations, to various numerical methods commonly used in operational NWP systems and key considerations for operational implementation. Hands-on practical sessions were conducted using simplified models which were coded in-house by CCRS lecturers, to illustrate the concepts highlighted during the lectures and to help bridge theory with practical applications.

Overall, the training module was well-received by the participants. Almost all participants indicated interest to attend future training modules and expressed support for the continuation of the training series. Participants also commended the use of simplified models for pedagogical purposes. Plans were made to prepare a peer-reviewed publication consolidating the current and possible future NWP efforts in ASEAN.

Workshop on the Use and Interpretation of Data for Fire and Haze Monitoring for the Southern ASEAN region

The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) conducted a workshop on the Use and Interpretation of Data for Land/Forest Fires and Transboundary Haze for the southern ASEAN region in Singapore on 26 – 28 June 2019. Participants from the forestry, environment and pollution control sectors of Brunei, Malaysia and Thailand took part in the workshop.
 

ASMC engages with users from the forestry, environment and pollution control sectors in region through various means, including the conduct of customised training workshops.

In her welcome address, ASMC Director of Operations, Ms Patricia Ee emphasised the Centre’s commitment to serve the region as the ASEAN centre for monitoring, assessment and early warning of fires and transboundary smoke haze, and the need for collaboration among ASEAN Members to address land/forest fires and transboundary haze pollution issues.

 
The ASMC trainers shared on basic meteorology, remote sensing technologies, weather and climate prediction, as well as haze modelling tools. Case studies and exercises were incorporated so that participants could apply what they have learnt and acquire practical hands-on experience with the assistance of the trainer. The participants also visited an Air Quality Monitoring station and the ASMC operations centre.
 

Participants on a tour of the ASMC operational facilities (left) and an air quality monitoring station in Singapore (right). They were given a brief on how the Centre conducts monitoring and assessment of regional haze situation using the latest satellite technologies and numerical modelling tools.

 
Ms Haryanti Petra from the Brunei Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation commended the wide range of topics covered in the workshop and noted that the hands–on exercises and activities to assess hotspots and transboundary haze on satellite images were useful.

This training workshop was conducted as part of the 5-year Regional Capability Building Programme rolled out by the ASMC in 2018, aimed to benefit ASEAN Member States through the sharing of technical knowledge and skills. Under the Programme, ASMC is investing S$5 million to enhance its efforts in capability building covering four key priority areas, viz weather forecasting, sub-seasonal and seasonal prediction, climate change projections and haze monitoring.

Workshop on the Use and Interpretation of Data for Fire and Haze Monitoring for the Mekong Sub-region

As the dry season of the Mekong sub-region approached, the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centres (ASMC) conducted another round of the Workshop on the “Use and Interpretation of Data for Fire and Haze Monitoring” for the Mekong sub-region on 4 – 6 December 2018 in Singapore to aid preparatory efforts. The workshop brought together experts from the different sectors, such as forestry, environment, pollution control, meteorology and research – all of them part of the larger community working together to address the transboundary haze pollution issue affecting the region. Each participant brought with them invaluable experiences from their work to share with others.

Experts from the Mekong sub-region’s forestry, environment, pollution control, meteorology and research sectors attended the ASMC Workshop on the Use and Interpretation of Data for Fires and Haze Monitoring.

During the Workshop, participants were introduced to a range of products and information services availed by the ASMC for applications in the monitoring and assessment of land / forest fires and haze, as well as the scientific concepts and theories enabling such applications. These products include satellite imageries, hotspot and haze information derived from satellite data, and numerical model outputs. The Workshop also covered the interpretation of ASMC’s sub-seasonal and seasonal prediction products, and how such information could be applied in the planning. Participants were also introduced to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Information System portal (WIS portal), an online data catalogue of ASMC’s products that facilitates convenient access and further downstream processing. The ASMC WIS Portal enables functions such automatic updates disseminated via email and/or File Transfer Protocol (FTP), depending on users’ preference.

Much of the Workshop focused on interactive and practical exercises to equip the participants with the skills to interpret the products and derive information that could be applied in ground operations. In addition to the lectures and exercises, participants were taken out of the classroom for technical visits to an Air Quality Monitoring station and the Central Forecast Office of the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS). Mr Somdet Champee from the Royal Forestry Department of Thailand felt that the workshop was useful for operational staff and policy-makers alike, and commended the organisers for including relevant topics that met the learning objectives of participants.

ASMC has rolled out subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) prediction products for the Southeast Asia region in 2018. During the Workshop, the interpretation of S2S prediction was demonstrated using scenario-based simulations. The exercise was designed to enable participants to make informed decisions for each scenario using S2S predictions.

 

Interpreting satellite data requires an understanding of the basic principles of remote sensing and how satellite data are processed. The Workshop included hands-on exercises for participants to practise applying the concepts taught by interpreting satellite imageries of past haze episodes.

 

Interpreting satellite data requires an understanding of the basic principles of remote sensing and how satellite data are processed. The Workshop included hands-on exercises for participants to practise applying the concepts taught by interpreting satellite imageries of past haze episodes.

Training is a continuous process. As the regional centre for monitoring, assessing and providing early warning for transboundary haze, ASMC will continue to deliver capability building programmes focusing on remote sensing technologies and their applications in environmental monitoring. The aim remains to enable the community to take advantage of the advances afforded by the latest technologies through sharing of expertise and knowledge transfer.

The Use and Interpretation of Data on Land and Forest Fires and Transboundary Haze (31 Jan – 2 Feb 2018, Singapore)

As part of the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre’s (ASMC’s) on-going regional capacity building effort, a 2.5-day workshop was held in Singapore between 31 January and 2 February 2018 for the Mekong Sub-region on “The Use and Interpretation of Data on Land and Forest Fires and Transboundary Haze”. 14 officers from the region’s environment agencies and national meteorological services took part in the workshop.

The Workshop focused on the meteorological aspects of fire and smoke haze monitoring, on the use and interpretation of satellite remote sensing to monitor weather, fires and smoke haze in the region, and on the theory and practical aspects of numerical weather prediction and dispersion modelling tools to forecast the transport and dispersion of smoke haze. Participants were also introduced to the range of products and services that ASMC provides to support the monitoring, assessment and advisories of land and forest fires and smoke haze pollution.

Participants from the environment and national meteorological services of the northern ASEAN countries with Director of the ASMC and ASMC Trainers at the training workshop conducted by the ASMC in Singapore.

To enable participants to apply what was learnt in the Workshop in their work, they were led through hands-on exercises in the interpretation of satellite imageries and outputs of dispersion models by trainers from ASMC. Site visits to an air quality monitoring station and the Central Forecast Office in Singapore were also conducted to provide participants with a flavour of the operations in Singapore and the coordination between the national meteorological service and pollution control department.

Participants having a discussion (top left) and visiting an air quality monitoring station in Singapore (top right). Beyond traditional classroom learning, the Workshop program was designed to be interactive and include site visits to help participants better apply what was learnt.

In her Opening Address to the workshop, Ms Wong Chin Ling, Director (ASMC) emphasised that addressing transboundary haze pollution required not only inter-agency coordination within each country but also ASEAN working together as a region. This helped set the tone for the workshop. Both participants and trainers shared their expertise and work experiences generously in order to learn from one another.

Director (ASMC) addressing participants at the opening of the Workshop. She emphasised the importance of regional cooperation in addressing transboundary haze pollution in ASEAN.