How Meteo-France deals with the Civil Security services for the french Vigilance Françoise Bénichou (Météo-France), Meteoalarm meeting – Brussels – 9/10 june 2008

The French vigilance issued from a cooperation between Meteo-France and the Civil Security Meteo-France and the Civil security services have worked together to define a system to improve : - anticipation and communication efficiency - service delivered to the Civil Security Services - information dissemination

Impacts and behaviour advice Follow-up bulletins Regional Bulletin Meteorological centre of XXX Bulletin produced at xxx o’clock Next bulletin at xxx Type of Event : *** Localisation and timing : ** Qualification of event : ** What is new : ** Present situation : ** Forecast evolution : ** Possible consequences : - Big flood and landslide are possible - The Traffic can be difficult …. Advice behaviour : Take information before traveling and be careful … Consequences and Behaviour advice have been defined for each dangerous phenomenon by the safety authorities The thresholds used by the forecaster as an input for the decision making regarding vigilance colour have been defined by Meteo-France on its own.

An organization to work together in real time Contacts at different levels National Central Forecast Office Contacts with national services (COGIC) Regional Météorological Center Interface with the regional authorities Local Met office Interface with the local authorities

Météo-France and main partners (2008) MI (Dept of institutional affairs) Setting-up Setting-up Operations Operations Hydrology Météo-France Medias Civil Security Roads Health CFO SCHAPI COGIC CNIR INVS => DGS (Central Forecast (national Centre) (national Centre) (national Centre) (National level) Office) DRASS CMIR COZ CRIR (regional (Regional Centres) (regional centre) (regional centre) directorate) SPC (regional RFCs) CDM Local centres DDE DDASS (Local offices) (firemen, ...) (Local centres) (Local centre) General Public

How the forecaster can know the impacts Cogic informs the CFO in Toulouse that there were 200 firemen operations in Bordeaux between 03 and 04 am following the storm … Meteo-france Civil security the CFO in Toulouse informs COGIC that there is a violent thunderstorm over … moving to … and would like to know if local information is already available … Same types of contacts between regional services of Meteo-France and Civil Security

Synergi web-site Meteo-France can access to Synergi web-site to get news about impacts of dangerous phenomena

When yellow colour on the vigilance chart to improve anticipation COGIC knows why there is yellow due to its close contact with CFO In case of yellow with higher risk (ex. scattered but potentially violent thunderstorms), Meteo-France has to take contacts with the regional Civil Security service and the ‘Prefectures’ (State representative at the local french departement)

Assessment A continuous assessment and a continuous improvement trend At regular intervals (meetings with the main partners of the Ministeries of Interior, Environment, Health) Assess operational capability at local / regional / institutional level Assess effectiveness of coordination and management of warnings from end to end 2004-2006 58% 20% 22% Departement with large impact Departement partially impacted False alert

An annual assessment document Feedback about procedure and presentation of statistical data about quality of warnings and related damages With a summary for each event Beginning Date Phénomena and concerned aeras Relevance of meteorological forecast Departements effectively affected Consequences Du 1er janvier 2007 à 16h, jusqu’au 2 janvier à 10h20 Zones Est et Sud Episode de vents forts prévu sur le nord de la Bourgogne, dû à une dépression venant de l’Atlantique. Par ailleurs, vents forts de sud-ouest prévus en Corse. Vigilance orange sur 3 départements de Bourgogne et les 2 départements corses. Anticipation correcte mais prévision globalement surestimée. Bourgogne finalement épargnée (fausse alarme), suite à une trajectoire de la dépression plus sud et un passage plus précoce. Par contre, rafales de vent dépassant localement 100 km/h sur quelques départements en jaune, en Auvergne et Rhône-Alpes. Vents forts observés en Haute-Corse, avec des rafales supérieures à 130 km/h, atteignant localement 160 km/h sur le port de Bastia et en haute montagne. 1 département en orange réellement touché par le phénomène météo prévu, 1 touché de manière atténuée (Corse-du-Sud), 3 non touchés (Bourgogne). Pas de conséquence significative. Du 10 janvier 2007 à 16h, jusqu’au 11 janvier à 18h27 Zone Nord Tempête hivernale donnant des vents forts sur le nord de la France. Vigilance orange sur le Nord et le Pas-de-Calais. Très bonne anticipation et prévision correcte. Rafales de vent de 110 à 120 km/h observées près des côtes, atteignant 100 km/h dans les terres. Les 2 départements placés en orange ont été réellement touchés par le phénomène météo prévu. Plus de 400 interventions. Evacuation d’un collège à Boulogne-sur-Mer. Trafic transmanche fortement perturbé. 15 000 foyers privés d’électricité.

Cooperation with other fields

The hydrologycal partners A pictogram on the meteo chart : heavy rain or flood, the "rain" part coming from Meteo-France, the "flood" part coming from national hydrological service

A cooperate expertise between meteorologists and hydrologists Flood vigilance Meteo vigilance 1. Regional level 3. National level Operational Contacts

The health partners Heat wave vigilance Worsen factors… risk for the Biometeorological indices to be over the thresholds taken in account the temperature forecast and the past errors Health feedback Pollution … Meteo-France and National Health service Heat wave vigilance Levels for the National Heatwave Plan dedicated to the health services with a commitment of means to implement according to the seriousness of event Statistical analysis of the past errors

Synopsis for health alert Civil Protection alert National Health Service Cogic Actors Propositions for Health alerts Météo-France Crisis cell Meteorological data and vigilance Health regional centers … Local state representative Prefets Other data (pollution … and health feedback Orders (how to manage …) Feedback on impacts Local actors, … Tool SYNERGI from Civil security Medias, partenairs, public …

Conclusion The general public : a wide common knowledge The chart is very well known (80%) Main access to information (> 95%) through the TV Civil security : a noticeable procedure improvement Improved awareness and preparedness (+) Improved timely response and anticipation during main events (+) a smaller number of false alarms (+) Inclusion of local expertise (+) Bulletins to be improved (-) with the uncertainty of the forecast Difficulties to overcome : Higher pressure for the authorities responsible for safety and for Météo-France Next probable step, as wished by the Civil Security, an additional parameter : the danger of high waves on the sea-shore (for terrestrians)