DMG Warning Monitoring
The Warning Monitoring is part of the DMG-Monitoring Procedure. Detailed information on the whole procedure can be found in the EUR Doc 018, App. C.
When does the Warning Monitoring take place?
The Warning Monitoring is part of the DMG-Monitoring which is performed each year from the 1st until the 14th February. The focal point issues a reminding e-mail at least 2 weeks before the actual monitoring date in order to raise the awareness of participants. The warning monitoring itself is performed in two parts:
- WS-SIGMET & SPECIAL AIREP Monitoring
- Always on the first Wednesday of the DMG-monitoring period
- WV-SIGMET, SPECIAL AIREP, Volcanic Ash Advisory, WC-SIGMET & Advisory (New) as well as Space Weather Advisory(New) Monitoring
- Always on the day after the WS-SIGMET Monitoring
The procedure in short
On the first monitoring day,
- each MWO in the ICAO EUR region is asked to
- issue a SPECIAL AIREP-test-message at 10:00 UTC with ii=60-69 (e.g. UAOS61 LOWW)
- issue a WS SIGMET-test-message right afterwards.
On the second monitoring day,
- each MWO in the ICAO EUR region is asked to
- issue a SPECIAL AIREP-test-message at 10:00 UTC with ii=70-79 (e.g. UAFR71 LFPW)
- issue a WV SIGMET-test-message and
- issue, where applicable, a WC SIGMET-test-message right afterwards.
- Dedicated TCACs are asked to send test advisories
- TCAC Tokio at around 06:00 UTC with on of the following headers: FKPQ3[0-5] RJTD
- TCAC Miami at around 12:00 UTC with on of the following headers: FKNT2[1-5] KNHC
- All SWXCs are asked to send test advisories at the following times
- SWXC Australia at around 04:00 UTC with on of the following headers: FNXX0[1-4] YMMC
- SWXC China at around 07:00 UTC with on of the following headers: FNXX0[1-4] ZBBB
- SWXC Russia at around 09:00 UTC with on of the following headers: FNXX0[1-4] UUAG
- SWXC France at around 10:00 UTC with on of the following headers: FNXX0[1-4] LFPW
- SWXC Finland at around 11:00 UTC with on of the following headers: FNXX0[1-4] EFKL
- SWXC UK at around 12:00 UTC with on of the following headers: FNXX0[1-4] EGRR
- SWXC USA at around 16:00 UTC with on of the following headers: FNXX0[1-4] KWNP
From experience it can be said, that not all MWOs in the EUR-region participate and issue test messages. Therefore, the period for the monitoring activity starts on both days already at 00:00 UTC and stops at 12:00 UTC in order to maybe capture some real SIGMET- or SPECIAL AIREP-messages from centres not issuing test messages.
In the past all NOCs have been asked to participate at the Warning Monitoring Exercise by providing monitoring results. Due to different reasons, this has been reduced to:
- Regional OPMET Centres (ROCs)
- Regional OPMET Databanks (RODBs)
- SADIS
- UK NATS as the SADIS provider (upload)
- NOC Bucharest as SADIS (column LROM) and WIFS (column WIFS) user reference point (download)
After each monitoring the results will be made availble via this website (see below), enabling also NOCs and other interested parties to review the results and to compare it with warning messages received locally during these two days. By that, users will be able to identify any missing warning message they were expecting to receive. In case a NOC identifies such an issue, the responsible ROC should be contacted for further actions.
The detailed "Warning Monitoring Procedure" can be found in EUR Doc 018, Appendix C, chapter C.9. The latest version of that document can be found on the ICAO-Paris Homepage (Path: EUR/NAT Documents / EUR Documents / EUR Documents / 018 - OPMET Handbook).