6 – 10 June, 13 – 17 June, 27 June – 1 July, and 4 – 8 July 2016
ESSL Research and Training Centre
Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Highlights:
- Testbed Blog
- Online Severe Weather Briefings and Expert Lectures via EUMETCAL
(starting Tue-Fri at 09:00 UTC: click on the respective event date to join and register/login with your email address – free of cost!)
What is new in 2016?
At the 2016 Testbed edition, there will be a number of new Testbed products, in particular a number of new products based on convection permitting NWP, and ensembles of such models.
It is currently planned that we will work with:
- COSMO-DE-EPS ensemble prediction system now out to 45 hour with a lightning potential index (DWD)
- Lightning density product (DWD)
- COSMO-E ensemble out to 120 hours (MeteoSwiss)
- COSMO-1 kilometre deterministic forecasts including new diagnostic parameters (MeteoSwiss)
- Mesocyclone detection product (DWD)
- Cell-based warnings from the NowcastMIX system (DWD)
- New radar products to detect rotation and storm severity (DWD)
Likely a number of additional products will be added as the Testbeds of 2016 and 2017 will be integrated in the EUMETNET ASIST project (powerpoint presentation).
For whom is the Testbed?
The goal of the Testbed is twofold. First, it caters forecasters who want to learn how to forecast severe covnective storms using state-of-the-art forecasting tools. Second, it is a hands-on evaluation of new, sometimes experimental, forecast products. This means that both forecasters and developers of forecast products have an interest in the Testbed. In addition, other people having a background in meteorology are most welcome to participate as well.
Please follow these links for:
- the daily blog
- slides about the ESSL Testbed (pdf)
- access to the archived Testbed displays of previous year
- a description of the Testbed concept
- the Testbed Operations Plan (pdf)
- a presentation about the Testbed (Flash, MPEG)
This year, each week an invited forecasting expert from overseas will attend the Testbed.
Weekly programme
The programme schedule is similar to the previous year. The Testbed hours are:
| Monday | 14:00 – 19:00 |
| Tuesday | 09:00 – 17:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00 – 17:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00 – 17:00 |
| Friday | 09:00 – 13:00 |
Preparation
New: Testbed participants are provided with the Operations Plan and access to the ESSL Testbed Data Interface two weeks before the first testbed week. It is expected that each participant prepares for the Testbed with approximately one day of studying both the Operations Plan and getting acquainted with the Data Interface in the weeks before travelling to Wiener Neustadt.
More in general, a good preparation for the Testbed participation are the seminars “Forecasting Severe Convection I” and “Forecasting Severe Convection II” by Drs. Doswell and Dahl. Click here for more information.
At the end of the seminar participants will receive a participation certificate, which – in the light of the decisions of the 17th session of the WMO 2015 congress (regarding required public weather service competences for warning meteorologists) – might become very valuable in the near future.
Registration
Forecasters and researchers or developers who want to participate in the ESSL Testbed 2016 can register here.
The registration consists of two steps:
- Filling in the registration form (click here)
- Paying the participation fee by Credit Card or bank transfer (see below)
Important: The formal registration has only been completed after the payment has arrived at ESSL.
By paying, you agree with the Terms and Conditions listed at the bottom of this page.
Participation Fees
The fees for the Testbed 2016 are listed in the table below (prices unchanged compared to 2015).
Credit card payment
To pay by credit card, please click the appropriate amount.
| Payment date | before 14 Feb | 14 Feb or later |
|---|---|---|
| Normal fee | € 1290 (click to pay) | € 1490 (click to pay) |
| Reduced fee* | € 1190* (click to pay) | € 1290* (click to pay) |
* Eligible for the reduced rate are individual ESSL members and employees of institutional ESSL members.
The fee includes on-site participation at the ESSL Testbed 2016 during one week from Monday till Friday and participation in 60 – 90 minute long online sessions broadcast from the Testbed, recommended in the week before the on-site participation. Participants may however join all online sessions of the ESSL Testbed 2016.
Bank transfer
You may pay by bank transfer to the following account:
| Beneficiary: | European Severe Storms Laboratory – Science and Training |
| Bank: | Sparkasse Baden |
| Bank address: | Hauptplatz 15, 2500 Baden, Austria |
| SWIFT BIC: | SPBDAT21XXX |
| IBAN: | AT522020501000005999 |
With your transfer, please indicate “Testbed fee” and your name.
(without indicating your name, we cannot make sure that the transfer came from you).
Local information (hotels, how-to-get-there, etc.)
Please click here for local information.
Contact
For enquiries regarding registration, participation and payments, please contact:
Magdalena Pichler
E-mail: testbed@essl.org
For scientific, educational and other matters:
Pieter Groenemeijer or Alois M. Holzer
Tel: +49 151 59031839
Fax: +49 8153 9659 999 11
E-mail: testbed@essl.org
Terms and Conditions
By registering (which includes paying the fee), you acknowledge that you (the participant) have read and accept the following terms and conditions:
- Following the payment, the participant is advised to save and/or print the automatically displayed preliminary receipt for reference, shown on the webpage or given on the bank account. Due to the legal nature of credit card and wiring payments (e.g. time limits for withdrawal apply), a formal written receipt can only be provided to the participant at the Testbed and cannot be certificated before or after the Testbed.
- Within 14 days after registration has been completed (which includes paying the fee), ESSL will inform participants per e-mail whether they could be scheduled in their indicated week of preference, or in the alternative week they have indicated. If ESSL cannot schedule participation in either of these two weeks, and no other suitable week can be found, ESSL will reimburse the participation fee.
- No other reasons than the above are a valid reason for reimbursement after 1 April 2016. Non-attendance or other reasons on the side of the participant cannot be accepted. No-show due to force majeure on the side of the organizer or the participant do not allow for reimbursement.
- Consequential costs caused by the cancellation of the Testbed or parts thereof cannot be accepted by the organizers.
- The fee includes on-site participation at the ESSL Testbed 2016 during one week from Monday 14:00 till Friday 13:00 and participation in 60 – 90 minute long online sessions broadcast from the Testbed, recommended in the week before the on-site participation. Participants may however join all online sessions of the ESSL Testbed 2016.
- Please be advised that – since the ESSL team is small and not staffed 24/7 -inquiries may take a few days to be answered.
- Responsible for the organization of the Testbed is the non-profit organization European Severe Storms Laboratory – Science and Training, Bräunlichgasse 6a/6, Wiener Neustadt, Austria. Director: Pieter Groenemeijer, Director of Operations: Alois M. Holzer. Regardless of how the payment is made, it constitutes the completion of a sale between the participant and European Severe Storms Laboratory – Science and Training.
The ESSL Testbed is supported by:
