DOST-PAGASA co-hosted the Regional Workshop of the WCSSP-SeA in Cebu
The Weather and Climate Science for Service Partnership (WCSSP) Southeast Asia is a collaborative initiative between research institutes in the UK and the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam, to engage in scientific weather-related research. Annually, it conducts a regional workshop to gather scientists and weather forecasters engaged in the WCSSP Southeast Asia Project, dedicated to strengthening collaboration across the region particularly focusing on high impact weather (HIW) events. This year’s workshop marks a significant milestone — the 10th-anniversary celebration — under the theme: “A Decade of Collaboration in Weather and Climate: From Scientific Innovations to Effective Forecasts and Actionable Applications.”
Participants from different countries across the Southeast Asian region, including observers from Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Australia, gathered in Mactan from May 18–21 for a four-day workshop.
Among the topics discussed were the evaluation and underpinning of model capabilities; the use and interpretation of ensemble forecasts; challenges in using ensemble models for operational forecasting; multi-hazard and impact-based forecasting; and emerging methods and technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), in weather forecasting.
The workshop concluded with a planning meeting involving representatives from partner countries and members of the technical panel of experts to discuss feedback and future directions for the WCSSP SEA Project.
Aside from the workshop, other key achievements of the WCSSP SeA projects include; but are not limited to the following:
• A comprehensive Technical Handbook on Southeast Asian Meteorology now serves as a foundational reference for forecasters and scientists.
• Country-specific Forecaster and Model Developer Guidance Documents provide tailored support
• Prototype impact-based forecasting approaches are being introduced with partner countries
• A pioneering high-resolution, real-time forecasting system is available for research and model development, significantly improving the simulation of tropical storms
• 48 peer-reviewed publications and more than 670 citations, project research is advancing global understanding of key meteorological processes
• The SEA-COAST project is a co-developing an advanced forecasting framework that integrates surge-wave models with existing weather forecasts
