Reflections on the WMO Regional Focus Group and the Shared Benefits of an International Community of Practice

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Virtual Laboratory for Education and Training in Satellite Meteorology (VLab) Regional Focus Group (RFG) of the Americas and the Caribbean has conducted over 250 sessions since 2004. Over the years participants have joined in the monthly virtual sessions from more than 70 countries, building an international community of practice and learning with a focus on satellite imagery and products for operational use. The weather briefings address regional forecasting challenges across meteorology, hydrology, and related disciplines. The success of the RFG is in its ability to make global connections through the exchange of regional knowledge and perspectives, skills, technologies, and diverse expertise. We will reflect on the importance of a collaborative and international approach and demonstrate that informal interactions can enhance training through relevant discussion and observational learning. An overview of the RFG will be presented along with its role in facilitating an international community of practice, with examples of the shared benefits between US and international users of geostationary and polar-orbiting satellite data.