Most recently, the AWC and JMA have been using a JMA-developed Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) coordination scheme to improve in-flight aviation warnings for significant weather phenomena across international borders. This coordination activity has been conducted successfully since the spring of 2018 between the JMA, the AWC, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), and most recently, the National Weather Service Alaska Aviation Weather Unit (AAWU) and the National Weather Service Hawaii Forecast Office (HFO). The coordination is carried out using a web communication tool developed by JMA. One particularly valuable aspect of the tool is its ability to cross language barriers in order to help forecasters communicate weather concerns as they approach/cross (ICAO) borders.
There are several documented cases where collaboration between international agencies have benefited from the communication tool. Cross-border SIGMET coordination has become more streamlined, decreasing the time required to issue a SIGMET and improving the consistency of key attributes such as height and severity of the weather phenomena. The collaboration tool has also helped AWC forecasters be more proactive rather than reactive with the issuance of turbulence SIGMETs. A future inter-agency goal is to be able to issue collaborated SIGMETs across international borders in order to avoid inconsistencies of SIGMETs that could cause confusion to the aviation community.
This presentation covers the operational utility, process for issuance and the background of its development. Herein we demonstrate the successes of the coordination as well as future plans for full operational implementation, including the capability to issue warnings across international borders.
- Indicates paper has been withdrawn from meeting
- Indicates an Award Winner