Fiji Meteorological Service WMO Workshop on Enhancing Climate Indices for Sector-Specific Applications in the Pacific Island Region December 2015 Bipen Prakash Senior Scientific Officer (Climate)

Fiji Meteorological Service • Forecasting Division

• National Weather Forecasting Centre(NWFC)

• Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC Nadi)

• Hydrology Division

• Climate Services Division

• National Climate Monitoring and Prediction Centre

• National repository of climate data • Government agency responsible for the

science of climate change • ISO 9001:2008 certified provider of

aviation meteorological and climate services

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• Several stations in national climate monitoring network

– Manual synoptic stations – 16 stations – Climate stations – 9am – 18 stations – Rainfall stations – 9am – 34 stations – AWS – 10 min – 26 stations – TB3 Rain gauge – 5 min – 11 stations – AWOS – 1 minute – 2 stations

• Rainfall data available from late 1800’s

• Temperature available from early 1900’s

• Data issues: reliability, accuracy, consistency,

standardized practices of collection, introduction of biases, systematic and random errors

RClimDEX experience

• No experience in using RClimDex/ FClimDEX

• Some experience in RHtests software for data homogenization

• CliDEsc for data analysis

Data • Daily data for Workshop

• Nadi Airport – 1942-2015 • Laucala Bay – 1942 – 2015 • Nausori Mill – 1905 – 1963 • Nausori Airport – 1956 – 2016 • Vunisea – 1929 – 2015 • Rotuma – 1932 – 2015

• Raw data but homogenized data available through Pacific Climate Change Data Portal

Climate Services • Monitor national & regional climate including climate extremes, variability and change

• Drought monitoring and advice to the National Prevention and Mitigation Committee

• Seasonal climate outlook (rainfall & temperature predictions) for coming 3 to 6

months (for Nation and individual sectors e.g. for Monasavu (FEA), sugar sector (FSC))

• TC Outlook for the RSMC Nadi TCC AoR

• Long term climate projections: rely on IPCC and international partners for downscaling (Australian Government funded PCCSP and PACSSAP)

• Respond to user inquiries

• Needs: • Maintenance of National Climate Monitoring Network • Continuation of climate change science program • Capacity building in research and development • Support implementation of GFCS at National Scale, for example, National Climate Outlook

Forum

For further information: Fiji Climate Summary at http://www.met.gov.fj/Summary1.pdf (issued monthly)

Fiji Climate Outlook at http://www.met.gov.fj/Outlook1.pdf (issued monthly)

Climate Outlook for Monasavu at http://www.met.gov.fj/Monasavu1.pdf (issued monthly)

Fiji Sugarcane Rainfall Outlook at http://www.met.gov.fj/SOutlook.pdf (issued quarterly)

ENSO Update at http://www.met.gov.fj/ENSO_Update.pdf (issued every second month)

Fiji Annual Climate Summary at http://www.met.gov.fj/Summary2.pdf (issued annually)

www.met.gov.fj climate@met.gov.fj