Canadian Hurricane Centre: staff

Canadian Hurricane Centre forecaster duties and qualifications

Canada is affected by tropical cyclones more often than people think. Tropical cyclones that move into mid-latitudes (i.e. Canadian territory) usually start to change as they begin losing their tropical characteristics and start to get the characteristics of more common mid-latitude storms. This process is complex, and forecasters require special training to equip them with the unique skill set needed to predict "Canadian-style" tropical cyclones.

A junior Canadian Hurricane Centre (CHC) forecaster is an Environment Canada meteorologist who has completed the one-time CHC knowledge and proficiency workshop, has worked a required minimum number of operational CHC shifts with a senior forecaster, has received basic media training, and has been re-certified annually. Once certified, the junior forecaster can work the CHC operational forecast desk when a tropical cyclone is more than 36 hours away from impacting land, perform limited media interviews without the supervision of a senior forecaster, and issue watches/warnings after consultation with a forecaster or senior forecaster.

A CHC forecaster must be a certified junior CHC forecaster who has completed the one-time National Hurricane Center/World Meteorological Organization Workshop on Hurricane Forecasting and Warning and has worked a minimum of eight operational CHC shifts or four different tropical cyclones within the last four years. Once certified, the forecaster can work all CHC operational shifts, issue watches/warnings, perform limited media interviews in the absence of a senior forecaster, and participate in writing post-storm reports at the end of the season.

A senior CHC forecaster must be a certified CHC forecaster who has received advanced media training and has worked a minimum of 16 operational CHC shifts or eight different tropical cyclones within the last four years. Once certified, the senior CHC forecaster can carry out the duties of a forecaster as well as handle media interviews, participate in delivering CHC on-the-job training, and decide whether the CHC will start or stop issuing CHC bulletins on a given storm.

Canadian Hurricane Centre forecaster, Peter Bowyer, analyzing a weather map. Photo: Environment Canada

CHC forecaster, Peter Bowyer, analyzing a weather map.
Photo: Environment Canada

When and how do we work?

The CHC program supervisor or delegate monitors tropical weather year-round. During the official hurricane season (June 1 to November 30 in the Atlantic) the program supervisor also examines daily the larger-scale tropical weather patterns and global dynamic hurricane models to determine the possibility of tropical cyclone development.

When a tropical cyclone is expected to threaten Canadian waters with gales within 72 hours, the CHC operational forecast desk is activated and staffed (24 hours a day). Certified tropical cyclone forecasters prepare and issue information statements and track maps at least every six hours. Once the effects of the storm have reached Canada’s area of responsibility, or if there is a high degree of media interest, additional staff may be deployed to focus on the tropical cyclone and its impacts. In 2003 when Hurricane Isabel was approaching the Carolinas and ultimately threatening Ontario, a complement of 3-4 forecasters was dedicated to meeting the intense media demands for information.

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