Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC)

Development Branch (CMDD)

The Canadian Meteorological Centre Development Branch works closely with the Operations Branch and with the Atmospheric and Climate Science Directorate to ensure an effective and efficient technology transfer to operations of the latest research in weather, climate and air quality. The Development Branch has expertise in data processing and analysis, numerical prediction modelling, post-processing and system design and graphics development applications.

The staff of the Branch networks and participates through committees with the other MSC Program managers and staff, other managers and staff of other government departments and with national (NAVCAN, etc.) and international organizations (WMO, ECMWF) to ensure that the deliverables of the CMC meet the expected standards..

Data Assimilation and Quality Control Division

is responsible for the technological transfer from research to operations, for the development of, and the improvements to the systems required for the management and quality control of observations and the analyses of the atmosphere and of the atmosphere-biosphere interface As a result of this mandate, all data are quality controlled and checked, and the division has the responsibility of developing and supporting the global and regional 3D data assimilation systems and all of the surface assimilation schemes. A tight collaboration with the research data assimilation and satellite meteorology division has been established over the years where new data sources and inventive data assimilation schemes are being examined. This division is also active in developing and transferring to operations satellite products for users.

Numerical Weather Prediction Division

is responsible for the technological transfer from research to operations, the development and the improvement of atmospheric models used the production of all environmental predictions. . The responsibility covers the development and support ofd models from the very short term (first 24 hours using a mesoscale model) towards medium range (up to 240 hours) with a global model, including the regional model that focuses on the first 48 hours with a North American window. The division is also responsible of the development and support of the medium range (up to 10 days) ensemble forecasting system and of the seasonal (up to 3 months) prediction system.. Finally, the division also supports the development and technology transfer of air quality models for the operational production of tropospheric ozone forecasts. The division has always had a close relationship with the "Recherche en prévisions numériques" research division to work on new models and physical parameterization. More recently, the collaboration was extended to other research groups such as: Climate Research Branch (seasonal forecasting) and Air Quality Research Branch (smog forecasting).

Weather Elements Division

is responsible for the development and improvement of the post-processing systems required for the generation of environmental prediction products. First, the division has the mandate of developing and testing, in collaboration with the "Recherche en prévisions numériques" research division, of new tools of post-processing model outputs using latest findings in statistical techniques. When ready, these improved post processing techniques are transferred to operations. The division also ensures developing, delivering and servicing to the regional offices of the Meteorological Service of Canada of the SCRIBE system, used to automatically generate a large variety of meteorological products. Finally, the division is also very active in developing and transferring into an operational environment systems and services required by external user groups. As an example, this division is responsible for the development of the Nav Canada web site regarding the weather content. It has developed and continues to develop a large number of products and services to several other external major partners and clients of the MSC.

Scientific Applications Development Division

is responsible for developing and improving graphical software packages used at the Canadian Meteorological Centre as well as in other components of the MSC. These applications are widely used within Development and Operations Branches and also across several of the Meteorological Service of Canada offices in Canada in support of operational production. The division also provides expertise and support in general computing and supercomputing activities to the 3 other divisions of the Development Branch.

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