GMDSS and SOLAS - International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea

The WMO Marine Programme coordinates the dissemination of warnings and weather and sea bulletins according to a broadcast schedule, in conformity with procedures laid down under the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) protocols within SOLAS.

For broadcast purposes, the world's oceans are divided into a number of areas of responsibility called Metareas, each under the responsibility of a National Meteorological Service, as follows:

The GMDSS web site providing real-time maritime weather information is run by Météo France.

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Storm Surges and Coastal Disasters

Coastal disasters are a major concern to socio-economic development in low-lying, highly-populated coastal areas; and the management of coastal disasters risk represents a great challenge to scientists and policy makers in Meteorology, Hydrology, Oceanography, Emergency Management and Coastal Planning. The JCOMM Expert Team on Wind Waves and Storm Surges (ETWS) is coordinating the delivery of services for storm surges and wind waves forecasting and modeling, with a focus on reducing the risk related to disasters such as storm surges, high swell, wind waves and other severe events impacting coastal communities.

As part of this concentrated effort, since 2008 the JCOMM and the Tropical Cyclone Programme (TCP) have been jointly coordinating the Storm Surges Watch Scheme (SSWS) for developing storm surges warning procedures, guidance and capacity building activities at the regional level in collaboration with the Tropical Cyclone bodies. In addition, since 2009 the Commission for Hydrology (CHy) and the JCOMM are jointly coordinating the Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project (CIFDP), aiming at gathering the expertise of cross-cutting scientists and disaster management experts for the development of integrated coastal flood forecasting and warning tools at the regional scale.

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MPERSS - Marine Pollution Emergency Response Support System

The primary objective of the MPERSS is to have in place a coordinated, global system for the provision of meteorological and oceanographic information for marine pollution emergency response operations outside waters under national jurisdiction. The areas covered have the same geographical distribution than those for the the GMDSS, and Area Meteorological Coordinators have been identified for all of them.

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The WMO Wave Programme

The WMO Wave Programme was established in 1984 in support of National Meteorological Services, which were increasingly required to provide sea-wave analysis and forecasts services. Since then, codes for the real time exchange and reporting of marine surface data including directional wave spectra have been developed; national focal points for the WMO Wave programme have been nominated; a compilation of national reports on wave measuring techniques, numerical wave models and intercomparisons was prepared and three supplements issued (MMROA Report No. 12); a wave model intercomparison project initiated; and a "Guide to Wave Analysis and Forecasting" (WMO No. 702) prepared and published. Several other technical publications have also been issued relating to wave analysis and forecasting, and the programme is now being extended to also cover storm surges.

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SEA ICE SERVICES

Navigation in ice-frequented waters for the purpose of trade and commerce, fishing, exploration or research has always been a rather hazardous operation. For this reason, national sea-ice information services have been established in many countries to provide support for such operations, through the provision of both climatological and real-time ice analyses and forecasts. International coordination and cooperation in this activity is essential and WMO assists in effecting this coordination, principally through the Expert Team on Sea Ice of the JCOMM and through the DBCP, including its action groups the International Arctic Buoy Programme (IABP) and the International Programme for Antarctic Buoys (IPAB). 

For information on the Sea Ice Services pllease consult the WMO publication no. 574 : Sea-Ice Information Services in the World (PDF)

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