The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) held the 2017 ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee TRCG Research Fellowship Scheme for members of the Typhoon Committee in Korea for 12 days, from April 17 to 28, 2017. This program was designed to provide Typhoon Committee members with education and training on typhoon prediction. Since 2001 the KMA has given 27 participants training and research opportunities.

This year, the Scheme was joined by three participants: one from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), one from the Vietnam Hydro-Meteorological Service (VHMS), and two from the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). The training was mainly focused on theories and practice of typhoon prediction and analysis techniques, including typhoon analysis using weather satellite and radar images. Also, participants were given opportunities for hands-on practice in generating typhoon information and analyzing typhoon cases, with Typhoon Analysis and Prediction System (TAPS) which was developed by the KMA. During the course of this event, the KMA showed the development progress and future directions of Typhoon Operation System (TOS) and this system especially draw more attention and interest from the participants.

Beginning with the opening ceremony and introduction of participants and their organizations, this Research Fellowship Scheme provided various training programs for participants. On April 18 and 19, the event provided theoretical lectures on synoptic patterns of typhoons, typhoon path/track prediction, numerical weather prediction, and multi-model typhoon ensemble prediction system; on April 20 and 21 participants learned how to use TAPS and took a hands-on practice session where each of them selected a typhoon case, produced typhoon information by using TAPS, and shared their own analysis results. From 24 to 26, KMA’s typhoon forecasters lectured on CPDA, typhoon reanalysis methods, and typhoon analysis techniques using marine data. On April 27 participants visited the National Meteorological Satellite Center of the KMA to attend lectures on analysis techniques for the location of the eye of a typhoon and typhoon intensity, and they in particular, showed a great interest in typhoon intensity analysis techniques using KMA COMS satellite. On April 28, the last day of the event, they visited the KMA's headquarters to take a facility tour of the National Meteorological Center and attend a training program on typhoon analysis techniques using radar images.

The KMA successfully held the 2017 ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee TRCG Research Fellowship Scheme. Through this event, participants were able to learn and share various technologies and information associated with typhoons by attending education programs and practices on a variety of themes, such as the formation and dissipation of a typhoon and forecasting typhoon path and intensity. This Scheme is expected to improve weather services in their own country as well as their technical capabilities in typhoon forecasts. The KMA will make continued efforts to provide support and cooperation for collaborative development of Typhoon commitee members.

Reporters name and contact details:

Ms. Sujin Kim
Assistant Director
National Typhoon Center / Korea Meteorological Administration
Tel: + 82 70 7850 6371 Fax: +82 64 805 0368
Email: sujin.kim@korea.kr