Statement of Guidance

A detailed analysis of gaps in the cryosphere observing system is currently underway, with an expected completion date set for early 2025. This involves an evaluation of current observational capabilities of the most impactful cryosphere variables, user requirements for those variables, an analysis of the gaps, and recommendations for filling those gaps. The results of this comprehensive analysis will be documented in a Statement of Guidance for Cryosphere Observations (SoG). This document will form part of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Rolling Review of Requirements (RRR) process.

The sea ice portion of this analysis is particularly noteworthy as it is one of the pilot projects within the RRR process. A draft Statement of Guidance for sea ice has already been prepared and is currently under review, with an expected finalization in early 2024.

For those seeking further information or wishing to discuss the analysis, the designated points of contact are Jeff Key from NOAA and Rodica Nitu from WMO. These individuals are leading the efforts in their respective organizations and can provide additional insights and updates on the progress of the project.

CryoNet is the GCW network of surface stations. This project is establishing the the network. It is defining the types of sites, e.g., “supersites”, reference sites, and/or tiered sites in cold climate regions, on land or sea, operating a sustained, standardized programme for observing and monitoring as many cryospheric variables as possible. It is creating an inventory of the current network, working with site managers, developing formal procedures for establishing the GCW network, evaluating potential supersites, and determining data availability. The project will compile best practices, guidelines, and standards, determine what should be measured, and facilitate interaction and collaboration between the scientific and operational communities. [More...]

Point of contact: Wolfgang Schöner (Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik)

Measurement Standards and Best Practices

The Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW) is developing snow and ice measurement standards and best practices. This initiative involves a meticulous process of reviewing and incorporating existing measurement practices that have been documented and widely accepted by the cryospheric science community.

To address emerging challenges and advancements in technology, GCW is committed to creating innovative measurement practices as necessary. [More...]

Points of contact: Charles Fierz (WSL/SLF) and Þorsteinn Þorsteinsson (IMO)

The Portal Team is working with CryoNet stations, data centres, and other projects on the metadata and data interoperability issues. A GCW Operational Manual for contributing data centres and a document on GCW Guidance for data centres contributing to GCW are being developed.

Furthermore, a GCW Interoperability Package for CryoNet stations is being tested, as a demonstration project for coupling a small data centre of a CryoNet station with the GCW Data Portal. [More...]

Point of contact: Øystein Godøy (Norwegian Meteorological Institute)

The main goals of Snow Watch are to assess the maturity and accuracy of snow products, improve the reporting of and access to in situ snow measurements, promote the exchange of snow data and information for snow cover monitoring, and identify critical snow-related issues that need to be addressed in GCW. Snow Watch is making major advances in snow cover observation, monitoring and exchange of data and products from in-situ and satellite sources as part of GCW’s goal to provide authoritative cryospheric information. Team members are drawn from across the global snow community. [More...]

Points of contact: Ross Brown (Environment Canada) and Kari Luojus (Finnish Meteorological Institute)

The Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW) is in the process of creating an official GCW Glossary of cryospheric terms. This important initiative aims to standardize terminology across the field of cryospheric science, providing clear and consistent definitions for key concepts and terms. As with measurement standards, existing glossaries will be used as a starting point and modified as necessary. A robust, though not exhaustive, compilation of existing glossaries is available in the Reference section of this website. [More...]

Point of contact: Gino Casassa (Geoestudios)