Canadian Hurricane Centre: international conferences, workshops and courses

Training, development and sharing knowledge with other weather specialists are an ongoing part of a meteorologist's career. There are a number of such events in Canada and around the world that focus specifically on tropical cyclones; CHC forecasters participate in these on a regular basis. A detailed list of conferences/workshops is provided below.

US National Hurricane Centre (NHC)--World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Workshop on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology

This two-week operational training workshop is delivered by NHC forecasters and special lecturers, and is open to operational meteorologists in the countries of WMO Regional Association IV (countries bordering the North Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea). The CHC has sent representatives to every course since 1989 and has sent at least two forecasters each year since 1997. Attendance at this course is part of the basic certification to be a CHC tropical cyclone forecaster.

American Meteorological Society (AMS) Hurricane Conference

This biannual one-week scientific and technical conference (held usually in April or May) is considered a premiere rallying point of knowledge-sharing for tropical cyclone researchers and forecasters from around the world. The CHC has attended and presented at every conference since 1997.

U.S. National Hurricane Conference (NHC)

This annual hurricane conference (held in March/April) is the American gathering point for all hurricane-related organizations and stakeholders, including meteorologists, emergency planners, emergency responders, media, educators and government officials. The CHC has attended every couple of years since 2000.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO) - International Workshop on Tropical Cyclones

This two-week scientific and technical workshop on tropical cyclones is held on average every four years. It is the global rallying point for tropical cyclone researchers and forecasters to determine the state of the science, identify knowledge gaps and make recommendations to the WMO as to where efforts should be focused over the coming decade. The CHC has attended each of these workshops since 1993.

International Workshop on Extratropical Transition

This one-week technical and scientific workshop on tropical cyclones that undergo extratropical transition has been held three times since 1999. The CHC has attended and presented at each workshop and hosted the second one (in Halifax in 2003).

U.S. Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference

This one-week technical and scientific conference (held annually each April) is a forum for U.S. federal agencies and representative stakeholders to discuss the status and future plans that the nation’s hurricane forecast and warning program and to make recommendations for improvement. The major goal is to prepare and plan for the upcoming hurricane season. The CHC has attended this conference since 2003.

Miscellaneous

The CHC also routinely attends international scientific and technical conferences and workshops that focus on the unique and specific nature or role of tropical cyclones in mid-latitudes.