Press conference: Beijing Olympics weather services

Related story: Best possible weather services for the Games

Date/Time: 11:00 a.m., Sunday, August 3

Venue: Main Press Center (MPC)

Wang Hui, the host of the press conference

Wang Hui

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the press, welcome to today's press conference. As you know, it is five days away from the Opening Ceremony. The weather services is a concern. Today's topic is on weather services during the Beijing Olympic Games. The guests with us today are Mandam Wang Jianjie, deputy director of Beijing Meteorological Bureau; Wang Yubin, deputy chief engineer of Beijing Meteorological Bureau; and Mr. Guo Hu, director of the Beijing Meteorological Observatory.

Also we have two experts in the audience, and they will take your questions later too. They are: Mandam Zhang Qiang from Beijing Weather Modification Office and Qiao Lin, chief broadcaster of National Weather Center.

Now, I would like to give the floor to Wang Jianjie to give you an overview on the weather services during the Olympics. Then we will take your questions.

Wang Jianjie gives the speech at the press conference.

Wang Jianjie

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I would like to give you an update on behalf of Beijing Olympic Meteorological Service Center (BOMSC). Now we are 5 days away from the opening of the Olympic Games, I think there are 3 issues that interest you, the weather trend in the Olympic Games, who will provide weather services and what are included in the weather information.

Let us look at this chart.

According to the latest finding from the National Weather Center in August, especially in the eastern part of China where most of the co-host cities are located, we will have slightly more rainfall in the green areas with the temperature slightly higher than the normal years. It is estimated that we will see 2-3 typhoons making rainfall on China. Qingdao, Shanghai and Hong Kong maybe affected by a tropical cyclone. During the Games time, we will have more rains and the temperature will be slightly higher. The rain will concentrate on the mid and late August. The strong convective weather is also a possibility.

There will be more rains in Qingdao and the temperature approaching to that in the normal years. In Shanghai, it's likely that the temperature will be high and stuffy. In Hong Kong, there will be likely a typhoon and affected by the potential cyclone. Before or immediately after August 8, we will not see the persistent heavy rainfall. On August 8, the weather in Beijing will be slightly cloudy and overcast. We will see some showers and thunderstorms and the temperature will be in 30-32 celsius degree. That is the first question.

The second one is who is going to provide the weather services. The BOMSC will provide the services and it is the only meteorological service center mandated by BOCOG to provide weather service. Currently, it is a provisional agency. It is mainly supported by the Beijing Meteorological Bureau and other coastal cities and national weather support centers. The Beijing Olympic weather center will issue monitoring and weather warning and will update the weather information on a rolling basis. They will do that in light of the large scale sports event and the operation of the Games in various co-host cities. The weather observation and forecast will be made by the center.

And BOMSC has been operating from July last year to May, and has been providing servicies for Beijing and a series of other sports events. The weather service provider is composed based on the exsiting meterological services. Now we also add some temprorary agencies. For instrance we have a team for the sports venues, and we have 24 people on that team. We have SCC and we have comprehensive service center providing service on the spot.

In Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park, we have a three-person team. We are now doing an international cooperation project, which is composed of domestic and international experts, who will provide technical support to our system.

I would like to give you a brief information on the project. This is a joint project between National Weather Center and also WMO (World Meteorological Organization). It is a demonstration project, which is meant to provide forecast prediction for the disaster areas also carry out the multi-cultural cooperations.

With the support of Beijing Olympics Meteorological Service Center, that technology will be further developed and applied. Currently what we have on the project eight forecast systems, which is called FDP, include the system from Australia, U.S., Canada, China, and Hong Kong. It's been in operation for four years. We have another system called RDP in 6 countries, and they will provide support to the weather services during the Olympics. Chinese and foreigner experts are working together on the system, which is now operating in real time and provide some advisory products. You can take a look at the projects on the website.

The third aspect I would like to tackle is what information is included in the system and how can you gain those information. During the Olympics, there are four aspects:

1. Sports events

2. Large scale events

3. The operation in the urban areas

4. The pubic service for the general public.

As far as products are concerned, we have 5 categories:

1. Pre-warning. That is high risk forecast warning system.

2. Zero to six hours weather information and index forecast

3. We have special weather information services, which is provided under other special request.

4. We have meterological data from radar and satellite.

5. The analysis of the background information

And all these are meant to meet the requirement of different customers.

Now we provide the information in Chinese, English and French. During the Olympcis, what channels can you gain the weather informaton? The BOCOG and the Olympic family members can get the information through INFO2008 or ftp, fax, telephone, and internet to gain the information.

For the government authorities, we have disseminated information through telephone, fax and many other means, which are basically in Chinese. For the general public, we mainly use TV, radio, newspaper, website, SMS through mobile phones, street displays and warning towers to provide the information in Chinese and English.

For the general public, we add new weather program on TV. For example, there is Olympic Channel on BTV 6, and also we have a weather channel, which will update the information on half-an-hour basis for meteorology Beijing, and it is a special channel for weather information with a wide coverage. Actually, it issues information on the rolling basis.

The specific information for the traffic and tourists and for the surrounding areas in Beijing, we add some programs on the TV and radio station through weather channel. You can gain weather information through all the channels. We provide website, and telephone service, you can get information in Chinese and English. Through telephone, you can also have services in Chinese and English. Also the information will be provided in newspapers. In Beijing, there are local dailies, to which we add many Olympic service related services information. In particular, from August 6, we have Olympic weather information newspaper, covering co-host cities as well as the whole national coverage and are free of charge at the sports venues. That is for the general public.

I think that is basically all what I have to say. In light of the current scientific level and weather prediction especially, we still have difficulties and uncertaintises as for the long term prediction. However, we follow fact tracking approach to monitor and analyze the weather information. The experience of the forecasters will be used to provide a good service to authorities, to athletes and to the general public for the Beijing Olympics.

Wang Hui

Thank you. Now the floor is open

Beijing Radio Station

You just said for the second half of August, there will be rain. What we are most concerned is the Opening Ceremony on August 8. When will you have the final forecast?

Guo Hu answers the question.

Guo Hu

On August 8, we have already given the forecast. On the evening of August 8, we are closely watching. On August 6, we will give you more detailed forecast.

Swedish TV

I am from Swedish TV. This is the question for the Beijing Meteorological Bureau. I am wondering if you could introduce the technique of the cloud seeding and how you would use it before and during the Olympcis?

Zhang Qiang

Artificial modification of the weather. Of course, we expect to give you a good weather. However, we are experimenting on such techniques. We will have a close look at the weather condition and we will have some contingency plan for small scale rain.

Chengdu Business Daily

In the last few days, we have some rain. Is it artificial rain or natural rain? On August 8, if you have some thunder storms, what are some of the measures that you can prevent them?

Zhang Qiang answers the question.

Zhang Qiang

The rain for the last couple of days is not artificial rain. For August 8, we will be prepared. Thank you.

ATV

During the Opening Ceremony, would raining affect fireworks?

Wang Yubin answers the question.

Wang Yubin

With the modern firework techniques, the fireworks will not be affected by the rain. Such display will not be affected. As for the opening ceremony itself, we have a detailed plan for the distribution of forecast.

Wang Jianjie

I want to add. If extreme weather conditions occur during the Opening Ceremony, the organizing department of Opening & Closing Ceremonies have contingency plans.

TVB

We have 2 to 3 typhoons for Qingdao and Hong Kong, what are the scales of tropical Typhoons and could they affect the sports? Would you answer particularly mentioning Qingdao and Hong Kong?

Qiao Lin answers the question.

Qiao Lin

From June to September, we have a typhoon period in the costal cities. We have 5 to 6 typhoons in August and September, and the number of those landing is about 2 to 3. According to our forecast, in August, we may have 2 or 3 typhoons landing on the coastal areas. That might affect Qingdao, Shanghai and Hong Kong. As long as the typhoon is formed, we can catch the information in time. And we have reached the international level of forecast. For instance, we only have an error of 110 kilometers for 24 hours forecast, and an error of 160-170 kilometers for 48 hours forecast. We have forecast of 24 hours and 36 hours ahead. We will also give you the dynamic route as well as the areas affected 3 or 4 days ahead. If you ask me now, whether they are strong or not, we should catch the information ahead of time, and once the typhoon is formed, we will closely watch it and will forecast it as accurately as possible.

Swedish reporter

I would like to repeat the former question. Could it be something as a threat in Qingdao and Hong Kong?

Wang Jianjie

The chief broadcaster already said, we can have an alert 36 hours ahead of time. And the typhoon influence would not be that long. It is in the limited period of time, normally, a typhoon can not affect an area for one or two days. And the raining will not continue. They will not continue for the whole period. The typhoon can not affect the whole series of events. They can only affect the events in a short period of time.