1st International Science and Planning Workshop on Years of the Maritime Continent

The Years of the Maritime Continent (YMC) is a proposed international framework for atmospheric and oceanographic field observations within the Southeast Asia “Maritime Continent” region, proposed to take place from mid-2017 to mid-2019.

The aim of the YMC is “to understand the role of the Maritime Continent in the global weather-climate continuum by providing a framework for international collaboration on field observations and modelling based on the establishment of support from agencies of participating countries”. The initial proposal for the YMC was developed within university communities in USA, Japan and Europe in association with the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and the Indonesian Meteorological Service BKMG.

This was the first workshop in which potential international participants of YMC gathered and exchanged information on their science objectives and plans. The main objectives of the workshop were to discuss the YMC Science Plan, to assess the scope of the YMC field campaign, and to provide a chance for the YMC participants to initiate collaboration and coordination. Fifty-six people from 13 countries/regions attended (including remote participation).

The Meteorological Service Singapore was well represented in the meeting, with an opening address by the Director-General, and presentations by Dr Hans Huang, Dr John McBride and Dr Muhammad Eeqmal Hassim from the Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS) and by Lesley Choo from the Meteorological Systems Department.

The workshop was successful, with a science plan drawn up, and ongoing plans for connection with international programmes of the World Meteorological Organization, and for more direct involvement from national meteorological services within the region.