The interpretation and use of Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) products is a central part of the forecasting process at the Met Office in the United Kingdom. Both the roles and skills of Met Office forecasters are varied and evolving in order to meet a wide range of customers’ requirements in forecasts issued to the public, government agencies and military establishments. Training is given to forecasters at the Met Office and elsewhere in the use and interpretation of NWP products at courses run at the Met Office College.

NWP training given to forecasters from regional civilian centres and military bases in the Met Office and is broken down into several programmes: Initial forecaster trainees are given a thorough grounding in the theory of NWP models and understanding the models’ strengths and weaknesses throughout the Foundation Training Programme in lectures, reinforcing practical sessions, real-time forecast simulation and during the on-the-job training module. ii) Short Forecaster Professional Development (FPD) courses, aimed at updating the participants knowledge of new and developing models, the performances of such models in predicting weather events in various forecasting scenarios. Examples of training courses run in the NWP area include the Using NWP products (UNP), Probability forecasting (PF) and wave forecasting (WF) courses. The aim of the UNP course is to combine NWP forecasts, central guidance and forecasters’ own knowledge and experience effectively; demonstrating a range of techniques to verify NWP; analyse and identify subsequent errors in the forecast products. iii) National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) in which forecaster candidates demonstrate their practical forecasting competences, including their appreciation of the effective use of NWP products, by compiling and presenting a portfolio of ‘evidence’.

In the presentation, an overview will be given of the main challenges facing training of forecasters in the use of NWP products. Issues covered will include selecting effective training techniques and employing innovative strategies e.g. role-playing and Computer Aided Learning in the appropriate design of courses. For example, the experience in setting up a probability forecast training course will be covered, dealing with changing traditional deterministic approaches to forecasting and how best to put across probability forecasts derived from NWP models to assist operational decision-making in the civilian or military contexts.