WMO Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System (SDS-WAS) Implementation Plan 2009-2013 (draft)

This document describes the motivation to develop and implement a Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System (SDS-WAS) and offers an operational structure for dealing with a very diverse community anchored by a well established WMO system of research, observations, numerical weather and climate prediction and service delivery.

This Implementation Plan (IP) defines the steps and phases of actions that will be performed in the period 2009-2013 in order to implement the activities that lead to more accurate warnings and assessments of sand and dust storms. It identifies the major challenges for SDS-WAS in the mid-term and proposes an architecture and information exchange for the SDS-WAS that will secure efficient and balanced cooperation and participation of the major components of the SDS-WAS system: research, prediction, observations and service delivery. It is a truly cross-cutting activity within WMO programmes as well as involving a substantive partnership outside the National Hydrological and Meteorological Services, particularly in research.