Reliable prediction of polar weather and climate is one of the main challenges of today’s climate research.  A worldwide joint initiative shall now foster the understanding and prediction of processes governing polar weather and climate.

Having been appointed chairman of the Steering Group, AWI-member Prof. Dr. Thomas Jung will lead the development the Polar Prediction Project. Under the patronage of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) the World Weather Research Programme’s (WWRP) Polar Project  will bundle current and future polar prediction research and strengthen links between the research community and operational forecasting centres.

The objective of this joint initiative is to improve predictions of polar weather and climate on time scales from hours over days and weeks up to one season ahead. Joint field campaigns and long-term activities for the verification of high-impact weather events such as polar lows, sea ice forecasts and the improvement of forecasting systems will be essential parts of the Polar Prediction Project.

Prof. Dr. Peter Lemke, head of AWI climate sciences division, represents WMO Executive Council of Polar Experts (EC-PORS) in the Steering Committee whose first task is to draft an implementation plan by early 2012.