AMOSSG/4-SN No. 5

25/6/03

AERODROME METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVING SYSTEMS STUDY GROUP (AMOSSG)

FOURTH MEETING

Montreal, 15 to 18 September 2003

Agenda Item	8:	Guidance material

DRAFT VERSION OF A MANUAL ON THE USE OF AUTOMATIC OBSERVING SYSTEMS

(Presented by the Secretary)

SUMMARY
A draft version of a new manual on the use of automatic observing systems is presented for review by the group.

1.	INTRODUCTION

1.1	The group will recall that at the AMOSSG/3 Meeting a draft outline was agreed for the main chapter headings of a manual on the use of automatic observing systems. This draft outline was presented as a proposal for a new manual at the MET Divisional Meeting (2002) which resulted in its Recommendation 2/2 inviting ICAO to develop such a manual in coordination with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) making use of the draft outline as suggested by this group which is reproduced in Appendix A to this study note.

2.	DISCUSSION

2.1	Following the MET Divisional Meeting (2002) arrangements were made for a draft version of the new manual on the use of automatic observing systems to be developed by Michel (France). This draft version of the manual has now been completed in coordination with the Secretary and is reproduced in Appendix B to this study note.

2.2	It is expected that the group will make a thorough review of the draft manual with a view to identifying areas that require alterations or additions both in the technical content and/or the general format of the manual. The group may wish to agree that following such changes the final version of the manual be circulated to the group by correspondence for final comments. (Note: editorials will be corrected by the ICAO Editorial Section)

2.3	The MET Divisional Meeting specified two further considerations for inclusion in the manual stemming from Recommendations 2/1 and 2/4:

a)	the concept of prevailing visibility, and

b)	the standard algorithms for the processing of cloud height information once it is developed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

3.	ACTION BY THE GROUP

3.1	The group is invited to:

a)	review the draft manual on automatic observing systems attached hereto, and

b)	agree that the final version be sent to the group for final comment by correspondence.

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