More reliable forecasts with new climate centre?

Research centre will focus on Singapore's tropical conditions
Grace Chua Straits Times 27 Mar 13;

IS IT possible to predict monsoon storms more accurately? How will climate change affect rainfall in Singapore?

The new Centre for Climate Research, which opened officially yesterday, will tackle these questions, before advising agencies on managing water resources and flood risks, for example.

The centre, which is part of the National Environment Agency's Meteorological Service, will be led by senior British researcher Chris Gordon, the former head of the UK Met Office's Hadley Centre, Britain's climate research arm.

One of its first priorities will be to work on Singapore's second climate-change vulnerability study, the first phase of which is expected to be done by late 2014, said Dr Gordon, who begins as director on April 15.

It will use the latest climate models to update the first such study, started in 2007, to improve the reliability of predictions.

The centre will also study poorly understood tropical weather systems which have unique features such as thunderstorms caused by convection - hot moist air rising and forming clouds.

The centre, located in Paya Lebar, hopes to produce seasonal weather forecasts. For example, while February is normally warm and dry, a monsoon surge made last month exceptionally wet. Researchers hope to predict such unusual patterns ahead of time.

"The single biggest issue is to explain uncertainty in a way that doesn't cause people to lose confidence. People don't want a range of outcomes - they want the outcome," Dr Gordon said.

The centre, which will cost between $7 million and $8 million a year to run and have a staff of 25, is part of national plans to build climate science capabilities, and focus on Singapore's tropical climate.

It was first mooted in 2011, a year after intense rain caused flash floods across the island, including the Orchard Road shopping district.

The director-general of the Meteorological Service, Ms Wong Chin Ling, said: "There is a common misconception that climate change and environmental issues are a problem for the distant future.

"The reality is that preparedness must begin in the present."

New Centre for Climate Research aims to improve weather prediction
Dylan Loh Channel NewsAsia 26 Mar 13;

SINGAPORE: Singapore has a new Centre for Climate Research, which aims to improve weather prediction for the country. It was officially opened by Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

The centre also plans to advance scientific understanding and forecasting of the climate over the wider Southeast Asia region. It is the first in the world to use high resolution computer models do this.

Dr Chris Gordon is the centre's director and will lead a core team of research scientists to look into weather simulation.

The centre will also network with overseas and local experts to ensure that latest scientific developments are incorporated.

-CNA/ac