1. METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION IN ARMENIA

2. ARMENIA: COUNTRY OVERVIEW
The country is located in the latitude of 38º 50′ - 41º 18′ N. and longitude of 43º 27′ - 46º 37′ E
Territory: km (10 % of Armenian Highlands)
State borders:
In the North with Georgia,
In the East with Azerbaijan,
In the West with Turkey,
In the South with Iran
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

3. COUNTRY OVERVIEW
77 percent of territory located at 1 000 to 2 500 meters above sea level
Average altitude of 1850 m.
The highest altitude is m (Mount Aragats) / 42 percent of the area is unusable for habitation
The lowest point is the valley of North and South (380m)
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

4. Dangerous hydrometeoorlogical phenomena and Land transport
Armenia is highly vulnerable to a range of hydro-meteorological hazards. In recent decades, extreme weather events have become more frequent
In addition to the safety of life and property issues, several economic sectors are highly weather-sensitive, especially agriculture, transportation, hydropower production and water resources management
Heavy precipitations
Floods
Mudflows
Avalanches,
Strong winds
Blizzards
Fog
Glazed Frosts
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

5. Land Transport in Brief
Being a landlocked country, Armenia has an economy that depends on transport and cross border access.
Due to the geographic remoteness, the lack of direct access to the open sea and the high transport and transit costs Armenia face a significant economic disadvantage. These problems result in high transport costs
Armenia’s location presents a significant problem for the transport sector. Only two international borders are open: those with Georgia to the north and Iran to the south. The eastern border with Azerbaijan was closed in 1991, and the western border with Turkey in 1993
The transportation network infrastructure has deteriorated due to lack of funds.
Another problem is Armenia’s severe continental climate, with very low temperatures and heavy snowfall in winter that limit economic activity
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

6. HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL SERVICE
Armenian Hydrometeorological Service is the only organization in the country conducting observations, collecting, processing, storing data on the weather, climate, water resources and other hydro-meteorological elements, as well as preparing forecasts and warnings, contributing to the hydro-meteorological security and sustainable development of the country and the economy.
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

7. HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL SERVICE
One of the main functions of Armenian Hydrometeorological Service is to provide reliable and high accuracy meteorological, hydrological and climatic information to the public, governmental authorities, as well as sectors of economy with a high level of dependence on weather and climate conditions, with a special attention to dangerous and unfavorable phenomena.
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

8. OBSERVATIONS
In Armenia the first meteorological observations started in 1843 in Gyumri and in 1844 in Yerevan.
Eighty meteorological stations worked in the territory of the RA in different periods of time
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

9. Meteorological Monitoring
Currently meteorological observations conducted in stations
5 meteorological stations has more then 100 years of observation history
12 stations – 2000m above the sea level and higher
Agroclimatological observations stations
Aerological observations station
Actinometric observations stations
Radiation observations stations
Ozonometric observations station
In Armenia the first meteorological observations started in 1843 in Gyumri and in 1844 in Yerevan
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

10. Hydrological Monitoring
Hydrological measurements are performed at 7 hydrological stations in the main river basins. Totally counting 94 gauging sites including 4 lake, 4 reservoir sites
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

11. Main Users Government Ministry of Emergency Situations,
Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technology
Territorial Administration Bodies, including Yerevan Municipality, communities, city administrations and decision-makers at local level
Mass media
Private organizations
general public, railroad companies, trucking companies, bus/troleybus companies, road authorities and local governments
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

12. METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva 18-19 March 2019

13. Present situation of Hydromet Service
The special equipment and devices currently used in the state observations network are physically depreciated and outdated by 70%, there is no radar network, lack of automatic stations, no lightening detection system
Insufficient scientific and research activities
Lack of trained specialists
Hydromet Service provides general forecasting. No any specialized forecasts for transport service
More detailed hydrometeorological forecast need to be produced especially for specific phenomena such as avalanches, mudflows, glazed frosts, fogs, etc
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

14. HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL SERVICE
The active interactions with the user community and collection of their feedback enhances the value of the hydrometeorological information and service. Armenian Hydromet Service regularly improves its services to responds to the demands of users, with this purpose meetings with decision-makers, representatives of different ministries are organized in Armenia with the aim to establish a sustainable user interface platform understand users’ needs and requirements, raise their awareness and to provide better services
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

15. User Needs (feedback from users)
More frequent data/information provision
Provision of very short range weather forecasts (nowcasting)
Developing specialized forecasts
EWS establishment
Hail /Fog/ Lightening identification
Training seminars for users: awareness of users on the hydrometeorological products
Close interaction, cooperation, joint discussion of information required to meet users needs
“Department of Road Transport: The Department is responsible for national, regional and local roads and has close cooperation with Hydromet Service To provide services for roads, including road maintenance and traffic flow, it is critical to have timely and localized information for all road types. There are no sensors on roads “
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

16. Needs for improvement of Meteorological Service for Land Transport
Studying the main sections of the routes, classification them in terms of severe weather conditions
Re-equipment and extend existing observation network
Installing AWSs on the road sections of the main routes
Provision of radar systems to provide warning and nowcasting of severe weather events,
Creation of capacities for rapid notification of the expected dangerous hydro-meteorological phenomenaProviding Satellite observations on the condition of the routes
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

17. Needs for improvement of Meteorological Service for Land Transport
Developing of techniques for short-and long-range weather and hydrological forecasts for the routes
Strengthening of telecom system, information transmission in real time
Setting up an operational early warning system
Issuing information and prediction bulletins /atlas/ for land transport
Regional cooperation
Education, training for personnel
Training for users
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

18. Many hazards are common to a number of neighboring countries
Regional Approach
Region is influenced by weather patterns, they don’t stop at the borders
Many hazards are common to a number of neighboring countries
Sharing and exchange of information will allow for greater reduction of hazard risk at the national and regional level
Individual countries may not be able to cope with a major disasters on their own
To establish an effective system of cross-border exchange of warnings among NMHSs, the activities are to be properly coordinated in the regional scale
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

19. Opportunities
World Bank's Armenia Disaster Risk Managment Program “Modernizating Weather, Water and Climate Services” road map for Armenia )
EU TRACECA
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019

20. THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION! Valentina Grigoryan
Adviser to Director Armenian Hydromet Service, Ministry of Emergency Situations
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR LAND TRANSPORTATION, Geneva March 2019