World Meteorological Organization's regional center opens in Beijing

A regional center approved by the World Meteorological Organization began operating in Beijing on Friday to improve meteorological observing capabilities for Asian countries and regions.

The hub, known as Regional WMO Integrated Global Observing System Center, is operated by the China Meteorological Administration. It will support 35 Asian members of WMO to enhance their observing systems and abilities in weather, climate, hydrology and cryosphere, said the administration.

In 2017, the administration applied for hosting the center and in the following year, the center was put into a pilot operation.

Shi Lijuan from the CMA's Meteorological Observation Center, who also undertakes the center's operation, said the center will advance the regional implementation of WIGOS by offering data availability and quality management, coordination, technical guidance, and assistance to the members. The center will also spot and address data incidents in meteorological observation for them.

In September, the center found "suspicious air pressure data" in a weather station in a country in Asia and informed its National Focal Point — the local liaison officer.

"The air pressure data deviation would affect weather forecast's accuracy. The location information was not updated in the observing system after the weather station relocated so the data appeared abnormal," she said.

The National Focal Point corrected the location information and solved the problem.

Other factors that can affect data precision include external biological interference and facility failure, Shi said.

So far, WMO has approved just two such centers with the other one located in Tokyo.