Presentation of the new Météo-France vigilance (awareness) system.

Historic

Following devastating storms and floods in December 1999, Météo-France worked with its partners from civil protection services in order to determine the weaknesses of the existing meteorological hazard warnings system. The system was based on warning messages called BRAM (Bulletins Regionaux d’Alerte Météorologique i.e.Regional meteorological warning messages). These were sent to different operational services in charge of civil protection as soon as regional criteria were forecast to be reached.

Following weaknesses were pointed up :

•	too many warnings, due to the choice of regional criteria (especially for thunderstorms) that have lead to a lessening of the impact of these warnings ;
•	general public information is not well operated : messages are tailored for operational security services and are written with technical words, not easily understandable for every one ; and, in fact, the security services warn the departmental authorities, the firemen, etc. but not directly the media nor the general public, which are sometimes informed very late ;
•	meteorological events are not qualified : what does a 130 Km/h wind mean for citizens ?
•	Even if the event was correctly qualified, general public would not know how to react : For instance, is it preferable to stay at home or to drive away ?
  
After this analysis, Météo-France and its partners decided to work on a new system in order to overcome all these difficulties.

The new system

The new system, call here as “the meteorological vigilance” is based on :
•	a four-colour chart, displayed at least twice a day, valid for 24 hours. 
•	a follow-up of the meteorological situation when dangerous phenomena are foreseen.

Each part of the chart (a “department” according to the French denomination, see appendix) is green, yellow, orange or red according to the level of danger for 4 types of phenomena : strong wind, rain, thunderstorms, snow/ice, avalanche. 

Levels definitions are the following :

Red : 
an absolute vigilance is necessary : dangerous and exceptionally intense meteorological phenomena are forecast ; keep regularly informed about meteorological evolution and conform to the orders given by authorities.

Orange :
Be very vigilant ; dangerous meteorological phenomena are forecast ; keep informed about meteorological evolution and follow authorities’ advices.

Yellow:
Be careful if you practise activities dependent on meteorological risks ; some phenomena, usual for the area but occasionally dangerous (for instance summer thunderstorm, etc...) are forecast ; keep informed about meteorological evolution.

Green:
No special vigilance required.

When orange or red is used :
•	the chart contains a short meteorological commentary and behaviour advice ;
•	the chart contains authorities’ advice (generic text prepared by the civil protection services) ;
•	follow-up weather reports are produced (every three hours when the dangerous phenomena are close to occur).

Follow-up weather reports contain :
•	information about geographical and temporal evolution of dangerous phenomena ;
•	observed data ;
•	forecast data ;
•	phenomena intensity qualification : its possible effects and/or its rareness and/or comparison with another well-known recent meteorological event ;
•	authorities’ advice ;
The first one is issued at the same time of the chart, and then issued regularly (the report gives the next report issuance time).

As the chart is issued at least at fixed hours (6 and 16h), and reports are issued at fixed hours too (from one report to another), they are easy to consult in the Météo-France Internet page.
Nevertheless, charts and reports are sent via secure Internet networks to security authorities (ministry, civil protection services, firemen, etc.).
For a small number of receivers, the transmission is doubled for more security.

All meteorological reports (charts, bulletins, answering phones) are updated as necessary.

Difficulties Meteo-France had to overcome when designing the meteorological vigilance system.

Warnings distribution is not a new activity for Météo-France. Up to now, warnings were sent to authorities when definite thresholds were reached.
What is really new in the meteorological vigilance system is that broadcasting is now very wide: warning charts and reports are made available to everybody.

With the new system, security authorities and Météo-France have to undergo more pressure from media and people, before and after the meteorological event, since everybody will receive the same information at the same time.

It was not so difficult to convince meteorologists about the new system but the meteorological vigilance system leads to a revision of warning procedures for services in charge of safety.

The desire of national authorities to be more efficient in crisis cases was a strong driver.
The fact that the general public has a stronger wish than a few years ago to receive warning information and advice was a second driver, emphasised by recent meteorological disasters (storms, floods), and by  weather changes current debates.

But the best factor for success was permanent communication and discussion with civil  protection authorities : the new system was designed with them ; there were at least twenty meetings at different levels to design and implement the new meteorological vigilance system.

A perspective for Europe.

Eighteen European countries, members of the European Meteorological Network (EUMETNET) have decided to take part of a project called “EMMA” for “European Multiservice Meteorological Awareness”. 

This project has more or less the objective to apply the concept of  awareness chart to Europe. Of course it has to take into account specific aspects of meteorological warnings and relationship between the meteorological office and security authorities into the different countries.

APPENDIX 
The Météo-France meteorological vigilance chart