NOMEK Simulator example

NOMEK Simulator example

by Vesa Nietosvaara -
Number of replies: 1

NOMEK Session

Hello, everyone!

Thanks for all the interesting postings on simulators so far...

So now time for some examples.. I attach the simulator I used in May on a Nordic forecaster course NOMEK in the Danish Met Institute DMI (I used the simulator made by Heleen). Hope to hear more of the experiences the others in this group have had.

This event was a bit special: the simulator was used in the warm-up exercise. The goal of the exercise was to get the participants acquainted with a severe weather event,  that was then discussed and analysed futher during the whole one-week course. The participants come from 8 different weather services, so I did not use any specific workstation output for making the images, but just collected the data from DMI colleagues and used some web resources (EUMeTrain ePort archives). The goal was to create a safe environment for the participants (it was their first morning!) to try and enjoy forecasting.

This is a very simple (low-fidelity) exercise, but it attempts to highlight some challenges in nowcasting the summertime convection. The clock runs four times faster as in real situation (2 hours for exercise including the briefing, 6 hours of data).

Some feedback we got from participants:

  • "Excellent example for demonstrating "real time" significant weather in a very realistic way."
  • "Made all students involved and engaged from minute one at the course!"
  • "It was challenging, but interesting to try to forecast for an unknown area. Good simulator."
  • "This exercise felt like a day at work. Good example and as it was in reality we underestimated precipitation amounts."
  • "In fact both meteorologists and models were not even close and I would like to have more training on how to detect situations like this if possible."

To run the simulator, download the attached zip file, unzip it and open the file NOMEKSimulator2012.swf in your browser. 

In the zip file you will also find two short powerpoints we used in the exercise: 

- the morning briefing slides

- the shift task list and work sheets.

If anyone wishes to have the source files, feel free to ask.

In reply to Vesa Nietosvaara

Re: NOMEK Simulator example

by Patrick Parrish -

Vesa, thanks for sharing this simulation. It was rather easy to load and only took me 15 minutes to test it out, look at all the products, the task description, and the preliminary briefing. Of course, I did not make a forecast in that time. :) 

I think this shows the power of a very simple approach. However, I know it still took a lot of time to gather all the data, understand the case thoroughly, and assemble it in the simulation player. The feedback is excellent, and shows how engaging something like this can be. 

What is most interesting to me is that you used it as a kick off activity, rather than as a summary exercise! A great decision, I say. It immediately gets people being active immediately, grounds the rest of the course in practical activity, and reminds them why they are there. 

Patrick