HyMeX (*) Pre-CAS Technichal Conference, Nov. 2009, Incheon, Republic of Korea *Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean eXperiment Presented by J.P. Chalon On behalf of the HyMeX leaders : V. Ducrocq & P. Drobinski

Motivations, societal stakes The Mediterranean basin: A nearly enclosed sea surrounded by very urbanized littorals and mountains from which numerous rivers originate  Need to advance our knowledge on processes within each Earth compartment, but also on processes at the interfaces and feedbacks in order to progress in the predictability of high-impact weather events and their evolution with global change.  A region prone to high-impact events related to the water cycle:  Heavy precipitation, flash-flooding during falls  Severe cyclogenesis, strong winds, large swell during winters  Droughts, heat waves, forest fires during summers  Water resources: a critical issue  Freshwater is rare and unevenly distributed in a situation of increasing water demands and climate change (180 millions people face water scarcity)  The Mediterranean is one of the two main Hot Spot regions of climate change  A unique highly coupled system ( Ocean-Atmosphere-Continental surfaces)

 to improve our understanding of the water cycle, with emphases on the predictability and evolution of intense events  by monitoring and modelling: the Mediterranean coupled system (atmosphere-land-ocean), its variability (from the event scale, to the seasonal and interannual scales) and characteristics over one decade in the context of global change  to evaluate the societal and economical vulnerability to extreme events and the adaptation capacity. Main Objectives Major disciplines: Meteorology, Oceanography, Hydrology, Climatology, Societal sciences In order to make progress in:  The observational and modelling systems, especially of coupled systems. This requires new processes modelling, parameterization development, data assimilation of new observation types for the different Earth compartments, reduction of uncertainty in climate modelling.  The prediction capabilities of high-impact weather events,  The accurate simulation of the long-term water cycle,  The definition of adaptation measures, especially in the context of global change.

Main Scientific Topics Better understanding of the long-term water cycle over the Mediterranean basin: variability and trend Key questions: - What is the variability of the components of water cycle (precipitation, evaporation, run- off, transport, etc) within a context of global climate change ? - What are the impacts on the water resources ?

Main Scientific Topics Better understanding of the intense events: processes and contribution to the trend Key questions: - What are the ingredients and their interactions necessary to produce an extreme event ? - What will be the evolution of intense events with the global climate change ? Mediterranean cyclogeneses Regional winds (Mistral, Bora, Tramontana) Mesoscale convective systems Slow-moving frontal systems Coastal orographic precipitation

Monitoring the vulnerability factors and adaptation strategies facing high- impact weather events Key questions: How to reduce the impacts of the extreme events and climate change ? Main Scientific Topics

EOP SOP LOP Enhanced existing observatories and operational observing systems in the target areas of high-impact events: budgets and process studies (+ dedicated short field campaigns) Enhanced current operational observing system over the whole Mediterranean basin: budgets (data access  ‘data policy’) Special observing periods of high-impact events in selected regions of the EOP target areas (aircraft, R/V, balloons,…): process studies Observation strategy  « Nested » approach necessary to tackle the whole range of processes and interactions and estimate budgets ?

SOP1 in order to document: - Heavy precipitation and Flash-flooding - Ocean state prior the formation of dense water SOP2 in order to document: - Dense Water Formation and Ocean convection - Cyclogenesis and local winds --- Target Areas of the first EOP/SOP series Hydrometeorological sites Ocean sites Key regions for dense water formation and ocean convection First EOP/SOP series EOP/SOP for the NW Med. TA Phasing with T-NAWDEX campaign field

Observation Strategy for HPE and Flash-floods (NW Med TA) Operational meteorological observation systems Existing meteorological observation networks will form the backbone of the observation strategy to characterize the Heavy Precipitation Events (HPE) meteorological environment at the synoptic and meso scales (RAOBS, AMDAR, weather radar, ground-GPS, Lidar, lighnting,…): RS network Weather radars Facilate access to the data Enhancement of the frequency Addition of new sites Ground-GPS

Hydrometeorological observatories/sites, super-sites and pilot-sites Observation Strategy for HPE and Flash-floods (NW Med TA) Le pont du Gard 9 September 2002 Process studies Parametrisation validation, Integrative studies Regional scale modeling

Upstream monitoring Observation Strategy for HPE and Flash-floods (NW Med TA) As initial development of MCS usually occurs offshore in areas which are basically void of observations, fulfilling these observational gaps will be one of the most challenging tasks of HyMeX. For that, several observational platforms will be operated during the SOPs: Offshore observations (buoys, ships, gliders) enhanced and/or developed. Instrumented balloons (boundary layer pressurized balloons and aeroclippers) launched from upstream sites (African coasts, Balearic islands or Corsica) to complement the documentation of low-level inflow. Two island supersites (Corsica and Balearic Islands) will be used to characterize the far upstream conditions for continental HPE, partially based on a wind profiler Network. Different aircrafts instrumented with dropsondes capabilities, water vapour lidar and - if possible - wind Doppler lidar - will provide essential information regarding i) the structure of the low-level inflow coming from the Mediterranean sea including the air sea fluxes ii) the structure of the upper level flow with a specific focus on the southern tip of the upper-level thalweg or cut off low. Synoptic conditions favouring HPE over NW Med: 500hPa geopotential (lines, 40damgp), 925 hPa wind vectors (>5m/s), 925 hPa moisture flux (colors)

Upstream monitoring Observation Strategy for HPE and Flash-floods (NW Med TA) As initial development of MCS usually occurs offshore in areas which are basically void of observations, fulfilling these observational gaps will be one of the most challenging tasks of HyMeX. For that, several observational platforms will be operated during the SOPs: Offshore observations (buoys, ships, gliders) enhanced and/or developed. Instrumented balloons (boundary layer pressurized balloons and aeroclippers) launched from upstream sites (African coasts, Balearic islands or Corsica) to complement the documentation of low-level inflow. Two island supersites (Corsica and Balearic Islands) will be used to characterize the far upstream conditions for continental HPE, partially based on a wind profiler Network. Different aircrafts instrumented with dropsondes capabilities, water vapour lidar and - if possible - wind Doppler lidar - will provide essential information regarding i) the structure of the low-level inflow coming from the Mediterranean sea including the air sea fluxes ii) the structure of the upper level flow with a specific focus on the southern tip of the upper-level thalweg or cut off low. Synoptic conditions favouring HPE over NW Med: 500hPa geopotential (lines, 40damgp), 925 hPa wind vectors (>5m/s), 925 hPa moisture flux (colors)

Upstream monitoring Observation Strategy for HPE and Flash-floods (NW Med TA) As initial development of MCS usually occurs offshore in areas which are basically void of observations, fulfilling these observational gaps will be one of the most challenging tasks of HyMeX. For that, several observational platforms will be operated during the SOPs: Offshore observations (buoys, ships, gliders) enhanced and/or developed. Instrumented balloons (boundary layer pressurized balloons and aeroclippers) launched from upstream sites (African coasts, Balearic islands or Corsica) to complement the documentation of low-level inflow. Two island supersites (Corsica and Balearic Islands) will be used to characterize the far upstream conditions for continental HPE, partially based on a wind profiler Network. Different aircrafts instrumented with dropsondes capabilities, water vapour lidar and - if possible - wind Doppler lidar - will provide essential information regarding i) the structure of the low-level inflow coming from the Mediterranean sea including the air sea fluxes ii) the structure of the upper level flow with a specific focus on the southern tip of the upper-level thalweg or cut off low. Synoptic conditions favouring HPE over NW Med: 500hPa geopotential (lines, 40damgp), 925 hPa wind vectors (>5m/s), 925 hPa moisture flux (colors)

Upstream monitoring Observation Strategy for HPE and Flash-floods (NW Med TA) As initial development of MCS usually occurs offshore in areas which are basically void of observations, fulfilling these observational gaps will be one of the most challenging tasks of HyMeX. For that, several observational platforms will be operated during the SOPs: Offshore observations (buoys, ships, gliders) enhanced and/or developed. Instrumented balloons (boundary layer pressurized balloons and aeroclippers) launched from upstream sites (African coasts, Balearic islands or Corsica) to complement the documentation of low-level inflow. Two island supersites (Corsica and Balearic Islands) will be used to characterize the far upstream conditions for continental HPE, partially based on a wind profiler Network. Different aircrafts instrumented with dropsondes capabilities, water vapour lidar and - if possible - wind Doppler lidar - will provide essential information regarding i) the structure of the low-level inflow coming from the Mediterranean sea including the air sea fluxes ii) the structure of the upper level flow with a specific focus on the southern tip of the upper-level thalweg or cut off low. Synoptic conditions favouring HPE over NW Med: 500hPa geopotential (lines, 40damgp), 925 hPa wind vectors (>5m/s), 925 hPa moisture flux (colors)

Upstream monitoring Observation Strategy for HPE and Flash-floods (NW Med TA) As initial development of MCS usually occurs offshore in areas which are basically void of observations, fulfilling these observational gaps will be one of the most challenging tasks of HyMeX. For that, several observational platforms will be operated during the SOPs: Offshore observations (buoys, ships, gliders) enhanced and/or developed. Instrumented balloons (boundary layer pressurized balloons and aeroclippers) launched from upstream sites (African coasts, Balearic islands or Corsica) to complement the documentation of low-level inflow. Two island supersites (Corsica and Balearic Islands) will be used to characterize the far upstream conditions for continental HPE, partially based on a wind profiler Network. Different aircrafts instrumented with dropsondes capabilities, water vapour lidar and - if possible - wind Doppler lidar - will provide essential information regarding i) the structure of the low-level inflow coming from the Mediterranean sea including the air sea fluxes ii) the structure of the upper level flow with a specific focus on the southern tip of the upper-level thalweg or cut off low. Synoptic conditions favouring HPE over NW Med: 500hPa geopotential (lines, 40damgp), 925 hPa wind vectors (>5m/s), 925 hPa moisture flux (colors)

The HyMeX modelling strategy includes:  The improvement of convective-scale deterministic forecast systems to improve the prediction capabilities of Mediterranean high-impact weather events. HyMeX field campaigns should provide an unique high-resolution database to validate these new NWP systems: microphysical properties (polarimetric radars, aircraft measurements), marine boundary layer characteristics and air-sea fluxes measurements (buoys, research vessels), novel high-resolution moisture measurements (GPS delays on board ships, radar refractivity, water vapour from lidar, etc).  The design of high-resolution ensemble modelling systems dedicated to the study of the predictability of Mediterranean heavy precipitation and severe cyclogenesis. Quantifying and rating the different sources of uncertainty at various scales that impact the forecast of Mediterranean intense events is one goal of HyMeX through the design of multiscale and nested ensemble forecast systems, possibly based on mesoscale ensemble data assimilation techniques.  The coupling of these ensemble forecast systems with hydrological models to issue probabilistic forecast of the impact in terms of hydrological response. Advances in knowledge of the hydrological and hydraulic responses as well as of the soil water content state before and during the precipitation events should help to improve these hydrological models.  The set-up, validation and improvements of multi-components regional climate models dedicated to the Mediterranean area: ocean, atmosphere, land surface, hydrology in order to study interannual variability, past trends and future climate change  The development of new process modelling, parameterization development, novel data assimilation systems for the different Earth compartments. For example, improvement of air-sea flux parameterizations or development of data assimilation in cloud and precipitation systems are major objectives of HyMeX and part of the observation strategy is designed to serve these objectives.  Modelling Strategy

The HyMeX modelling strategy includes:  The improvement of convective-scale deterministic forecast systems to improve the prediction capabilities of Mediterranean high-impact weather events. HyMeX field campaigns should provide an unique high-resolution database to validate these new NWP systems: microphysical properties (polarimetric radars, aircraft measurements), marine boundary layer characteristics and air-sea fluxes measurements (buoys, research vessels), novel high-resolution moisture measurements (GPS delays on board ships, radar refractivity, water vapour from lidar, etc).  The design of high-resolution ensemble modelling systems dedicated to the study of the predictability of Mediterranean heavy precipitation and severe cyclogenesis. Quantifying and rating the different sources of uncertainty at various scales that impact the forecast of Mediterranean intense events is one goal of HyMeX through the design of multiscale and nested ensemble forecast systems, possibly based on mesoscale ensemble data assimilation techniques.  The coupling of these ensemble forecast systems with hydrological models to issue probabilistic forecast of the impact in terms of hydrological response. Advances in knowledge of the hydrological and hydraulic responses as well as of the soil water content state before and during the precipitation events should help to improve these hydrological models.  The set-up, validation and improvements of multi-components regional climate models dedicated to the Mediterranean area: ocean, atmosphere, land surface, hydrology in order to study interannual variability, past trends and future climate change  The development of new process modelling, parameterization development, novel data assimilation systems for the different Earth compartments. For example, improvement of air-sea flux parameterizations or development of data assimilation in cloud and precipitation systems are major objectives of HyMeX and part of the observation strategy is designed to serve these objectives.  Modelling Strategy

The HyMeX modelling strategy includes:  The improvement of convective-scale deterministic forecast systems to improve the prediction capabilities of Mediterranean high-impact weather events. HyMeX field campaigns should provide an unique high-resolution database to validate these new NWP systems: microphysical properties (polarimetric radars, aircraft measurements), marine boundary layer characteristics and air-sea fluxes measurements (buoys, research vessels), novel high-resolution moisture measurements (GPS delays on board ships, radar refractivity, water vapour from lidar, etc).  The design of high-resolution ensemble modelling systems dedicated to the study of the predictability of Mediterranean heavy precipitation and severe cyclogenesis. Quantifying and rating the different sources of uncertainty at various scales that impact the forecast of Mediterranean intense events is one goal of HyMeX through the design of multiscale and nested ensemble forecast systems, possibly based on mesoscale ensemble data assimilation techniques.  The coupling of these ensemble forecast systems with hydrological models to issue probabilistic forecast of the impact in terms of hydrological response. Advances in knowledge of the hydrological and hydraulic responses as well as of the soil water content state before and during the precipitation events should help to improve these hydrological models.  The set-up, validation and improvements of multi-components regional climate models dedicated to the Mediterranean area: ocean, atmosphere, land surface, hydrology in order to study interannual variability, past trends and future climate change  The development of new process modelling, parameterization development, novel data assimilation systems for the different Earth compartments. For example, improvement of air-sea flux parameterizations or development of data assimilation in cloud and precipitation systems are major objectives of HyMeX and part of the observation strategy is designed to serve these objectives.  Modelling Strategy

The HyMeX modelling strategy includes:  The improvement of convective-scale deterministic forecast systems to improve the prediction capabilities of Mediterranean high-impact weather events. HyMeX field campaigns should provide an unique high-resolution database to validate these new NWP systems: microphysical properties (polarimetric radars, aircraft measurements), marine boundary layer characteristics and air-sea fluxes measurements (buoys, research vessels), novel high-resolution moisture measurements (GPS delays on board ships, radar refractivity, water vapour from lidar, etc).  The design of high-resolution ensemble modelling systems dedicated to the study of the predictability of Mediterranean heavy precipitation and severe cyclogenesis. Quantifying and rating the different sources of uncertainty at various scales that impact the forecast of Mediterranean intense events is one goal of HyMeX through the design of multiscale and nested ensemble forecast systems, possibly based on mesoscale ensemble data assimilation techniques.  The coupling of these ensemble forecast systems with hydrological models to issue probabilistic forecast of the impact in terms of hydrological response. Advances in knowledge of the hydrological and hydraulic responses as well as of the soil water content state before and during the precipitation events should help to improve these hydrological models.  The set-up, validation and improvements of multi-components regional climate models dedicated to the Mediterranean area: ocean, atmosphere, land surface, hydrology in order to study interannual variability, past trends and future climate change  The development of new process modelling, parameterization development, novel data assimilation systems for the different Earth compartments. For example, improvement of air-sea flux parameterizations or development of data assimilation in cloud and precipitation systems are major objectives of HyMeX and part of the observation strategy is designed to serve these objectives.  Modelling Strategy

The HyMeX modelling strategy includes:  The improvement of convective-scale deterministic forecast systems to improve the prediction capabilities of Mediterranean high-impact weather events. HyMeX field campaigns should provide an unique high-resolution database to validate these new NWP systems: microphysical properties (polarimetric radars, aircraft measurements), marine boundary layer characteristics and air-sea fluxes measurements (buoys, research vessels), novel high-resolution moisture measurements (GPS delays on board ships, radar refractivity, water vapour from lidar, etc).  The design of high-resolution ensemble modelling systems dedicated to the study of the predictability of Mediterranean heavy precipitation and severe cyclogenesis. Quantifying and rating the different sources of uncertainty at various scales that impact the forecast of Mediterranean intense events is one goal of HyMeX through the design of multiscale and nested ensemble forecast systems, possibly based on mesoscale ensemble data assimilation techniques.  The coupling of these ensemble forecast systems with hydrological models to issue probabilistic forecast of the impact in terms of hydrological response. Advances in knowledge of the hydrological and hydraulic responses as well as of the soil water content state before and during the precipitation events should help to improve these hydrological models.  The set-up, validation and improvements of multi-components regional climate models dedicated to the Mediterranean area: ocean, atmosphere, land surface, hydrology in order to study interannual variability, past trends and future climate change  The development of new process modelling, parameterization development, novel data assimilation systems for the different Earth compartments. For example, improvement of air-sea flux parameterizations or development of data assimilation in cloud and precipitation systems are major objectives of HyMeX and part of the observation strategy is designed to serve these objectives.  Modelling Strategy

The HyMeX modelling strategy includes:  The improvement of convective-scale deterministic forecast systems to improve the prediction capabilities of Mediterranean high-impact weather events. HyMeX field campaigns should provide an unique high-resolution database to validate these new NWP systems: microphysical properties (polarimetric radars, aircraft measurements), marine boundary layer characteristics and air-sea fluxes measurements (buoys, research vessels), novel high-resolution moisture measurements (GPS delays on board ships, radar refractivity, water vapour from lidar, etc).  The design of high-resolution ensemble modelling systems dedicated to the study of the predictability of Mediterranean heavy precipitation and severe cyclogenesis. Quantifying and rating the different sources of uncertainty at various scales that impact the forecast of Mediterranean intense events is one goal of HyMeX through the design of multiscale and nested ensemble forecast systems, possibly based on mesoscale ensemble data assimilation techniques.  The coupling of these ensemble forecast systems with hydrological models to issue probabilistic forecast of the impact in terms of hydrological response. Advances in knowledge of the hydrological and hydraulic responses as well as of the soil water content state before and during the precipitation events should help to improve these hydrological models.  The set-up, validation and improvements of multi-components regional climate models dedicated to the Mediterranean area: ocean, atmosphere, land surface, hydrology in order to study interannual variability, past trends and future climate change  The development of new process modelling, parameterization development, novel data assimilation systems for the different Earth compartments. For example, improvement of air-sea flux parameterizations or development of data assimilation in cloud and precipitation systems are major objectives of HyMeX and part of the observation strategy is designed to serve these objectives.  Modelling Strategy

HyMeX program documents and organisation Following the HyMeX White Book (WB), the International Science Plan (ISP) and the International lmplementation Plan (IIP) are currently elaborated. The second version of the ISP draft is currently produced and the first draft of the IIP scheduled for end of A crossbred organisation is set-up for the elaboration of the ISP and the IIP. The ISP is organised along the five major themes of HyMeX, that are each addressed by a Working Group (WG). ~80 contributions received to the Working Groups (ISP,IIP) ~300 WG members (20 countries)

HyMeX program documents and organisation For the IIP, Task Teams dedicated to the implementation of specific type of instruments or observation platforms (TTO) and modelling tools (TTM) are being set-up, as well as transversal tasks (TS) in support to and for coordinating these specific task teams A Project Office (PO) ensures the coordination and communication of the program. An International Scientific Steering Committee (ISSC) is responsible for the formulation of well defined and coherent scientific objectives and ensures the fulfilment of the HyMeX objectives. Following the HyMeX White Book (WB), the International Science Plan (ISP) and the Internationa lmplementation Plan (IIP) are currently elaborated. The second version of the ISP draft is currently produced and the first draft of the IIP scheduled for end of A crossbred organisation is set-up for the elaboration of the ISP and the IIP. The ISP is organised along the five major themes of HyMeX, that are each addressed by a Working Group (WG).

The HyMeX International Scientific Steering Committee: Dr. John T. ALLEN, National Oceanography Centre (U.K.), Prof. Pinhas ALPERT, Tel Aviv University (Israel), Dr. Emmanouil ANAGNOSTOU, University of Connecticut, USA & Hellenic Center for Marine Research, Greece Dr. Isabelle BRAUD, CEMAGREF(France), Dr. Silvio DAVOLIO, ISAC-CNR, (Italy), Dr. Andreas DÖRNBRACK, DLR (Germany), Dr. Philippe DROBINSKI (vice-chair), Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (France), Dr. Véronique DUCROCQ (chair of exec-ISSC), CNRM-GAME (France), Dr. Jordi FONT, Institut de Ciencies del Mar (Spain), Dr. Jim FREER, Environmental Science Department (U.K.), Dr. Vanda Grubisic, Desert Research Institute (USA), Dr. Eve Gruntfest, University of Collorado (USA), Dr. Silvio GUALDI, INVG (Italy), Dr. Víctor HOMAR SANTANER, Universitat de les Illes Balears (Spain), Dr. Christoph KOTTMEIER, IMK, Karlsruhe, Germany Dr. Piero LIONELLO (chair), University of Lecce (Italy), Dr. Gurvan MADEC, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (France), Pr. Alberto MONTANARI, University of Bologna (Italy), Pr. Temel OGUZ, Institute of Marine Sciences, (Turkey), Dr. Evangelos PAPATHANASSIOU, HCMR (Greece), Pr. Nadia PINARDI, University of Bologna (Italy), Pr. Rich ROTUNNO, NCAR, (U.S.A.), Pr. Z. Bob SU, ITC (The Netherlands), Dr. Isabelle TAUPIER-LETAGE, LOPB (France), Dr. René THERRIEN, Université Laval (Canada), Pr. Remko UIJLENHOET, Wageningen University (The Netherlands), Dr. Pedro VITERBO, Instituto de Meteorologia (Portugal), Pr. Heini WERNLI, Universität Mainz & ETH (Germany, Switzerland) The HyMeX Working Group coordinators: Working Group 1: Dr Ludwig Wolfgang, CEFREM (France)-Dr Mariotti Annarita, ENEA (Italy)-Dr Somot Samuel, CNRM, (France) Working Group 2: Dr Braud Isabelle, CEMAGREF(France)-Dr. Chanzy André, INRA (France)-Dr. Viterbo Pedro, Intituto de Meteorologica, (Portugal) Working Group 3: Dr Romero Romualdo, Universitat de les Illes Balears (Spain)-Dr Delrieu Guy, LTHE (France)-Dr. Richard Evelyne, LA (France)-Pr Montanari Alberto, University of Bologna (Italy) Working Group 4 : Dr Lagouvardos Kostas, NOA (Greece) - Dr Ivancean-Picek Branka, Service Météorologique et hydrologique (Croatia) - Dr Beranger Karine, ENSTEA (France)- Dr Estournel Claude, LA (France)-Dr Josey Simon, National oceanic center (UK) Working Group 5: Dr Llasat Maria-Carmen, Barcelone University (Spain)- Dr Lutoff Céline, PACTES (France)- Dr Gruntfest Eve, Université du Colorado (USA) HyMeX ISSC and WG leaders

Links with national and international agencies and programs French research agencies The HyMeX program is part of a cluster of 7 French research programs called « Chantier Méditerranée », coordinated and funded by the National Institute for Earth Science and Astronomy (INSU) of CNRS on behalf of the Committee of research on environment organisations (CIO-E*). It aims to improve the prediction of the evolution of life conditions in Mediterranean. In 2010, 60 French research institutions and labs with a total involvement of about 9600 man.month would participate to the preparation and realisation of the HyMeX program. US National Science Foundation US participation in HyMeX has been sought through collaboration with US universities and national labs on the basis of National Science Foundation proposals. A science program proposal to NSF is under development and led by the National Centre for Atmospheric Research with participation of several US academic institutions. The proposal seeks contributions from NSF to participate in HyMeX field campaigns aiming at the third topics of the HyMeX program (i.e., heavy precipitation and flash-flooding). in Greece and Italy, scientists involved in HyMeX have organized research consortia to facilitate the formulation of a national research agenda on the Mediterranean water cycle and to seek national and international funding for the field observations of HyMeX program in the Eastern and Western Mediterranean. although not yet organized at the national level, scientists from other 15 countries participate to HyMeX: Spain, Germany, Israel, Croatia, Switzerland, UK, Morocco, Cyprus, Tunisia,… (*) CIO-E: is composed of the following institutions: ANDRA, BRGM, CEA, CEMAGREF, CIRAD, CNES, CNRS, IFP, IFREMER, INRA, IRD, IRSN, LCPC, Météo France.

Links with WWRP/THORPEX complies with the WWRP/THORPEX objectives:  to advance knowledge of high-impact weather,  to improve the accuracy of the forecasts of these events,  to understand and optimise the utilisation of the forecast by the society  HyMeX is endorsed by WWRP-THORPEX.

Links with WCRP/ GEWEX- CORDEX The endorsement of HyMeX by WCRP/GEWEX (as part of the Coordinated Energy and Water Cycle Observations Project, CEOP) was formally asked in April Discussions are on-going about HyMeX becoming a CEOP/RHP (Regional Hydrological Project) with several sites in Mediterranean proposed as long-term reference sites. The HyMeX regional climate modelling activities contribute to the MED-CORDEX initiative included in the WCRP/CORDEX program which aims to improve coordination of international efforts on regional climate downscaling.

HyMeX Workshops Already three international workshops have been organized in 2007, 2008 and 2009 for elaborating the HyMeX program. => 4 th HyMeX Workshop in Bologna, Italy, 8-10 June See for more information about the workshop and HyMeXhttp://

Thanks for your attention

HyMeX-MEDEX links MEDEX is a Mediterranean project focused on cyclogeneses and high impact weather in and around the Mediterranean area. The MEDEX activities have been going on for nine years and have been endorsed by the CAS/WWRP of WMO, through THORPEX. The idea of a multi-scale big field experiment to finalise MEDEX was collected in the MEDEX second phase proposal, The HyMeX field experiment can be considered as making concrete this idea even though HyMeX is much larger in terms of disciplines and scales. Since 2005, MEDEX has been reporting to THORPEX through its International Core Steering Committee (ICSC-MEDEX), being Jean Pailleux (Météo-France). Some month ago Jean Pailleux has proposed the extinction of the ICSC-MEDEX and to report to THORPEX he has suggested to have two rapporteurs, one from Spain, Agusti Jansa and one from France, Véronique Ducrocq. This formula accepted by the MEDEX community answers also to the idea of a close connection between MEDEX and HyMeX.

MEDEX activities Observation targeting in Medex During 2008, MEDEX joined the EUCOS/PREVIEW DTS (Data Targeting System) campaign. 54 Mediterranean events of the total of proposals formulated by the DTS MEDEX users were selected by the lead-user and extra-observations were requested. These 54 Mediterranean events produced more than 600 extra- observations (radio-soundings plus AMDAR). Now, in 2009, a specific DTS MEDEX campaign is running, supported by EUCOS both form the financial and operational point of view. ~50 RS sites can be activated, around 300 extra-observations are foreseen. Different teams (from Spain, France and Italy) participate in the case proposal process, lead-users: AEMET-Palma, currently Météo-France. Up-to now, 85 cases have been submitted for sensitive area computations, not all were completed with additional observations. Studies about the impact of the extra-observations in the forecast quality are planned, but not yet performed.