Day 1 Technical Session

Technical session will consider available seasonal prediction output from WMO Global Producing Centers (GPCs) and the Lead Centre for LRF MME together with presentation of country forecasts and discussions on methodology and tools to support an objective approach

Attendance - NMHSs, RCCs, GPCs, collaborating agencies and invited experts

Venue: Conference Hall, Hyacinth Hotel

Time	Item	Remarks
Session I Operationalize Objective Procedures for Seasonal Forecast Co-Chair: Head CRS, IMD & RIMES
08:30 - 09:00	Registration
09:00 - 09.30	Opening session Introductions followed by group photo
09:30 - 09:45	Review of NE Monsoon over South Asia Region, Dr. Jothiganesh, RIMES
09:45 - 10:00	Review of learning reference South Asian Region, Tamara Janes, UKMO
10:00 - 10:30	Introduction to FOCUS MME Tool for South Asia, RCC, IMD Pune & RIMES
10:40 - 11:10	Customized Seasonal Forecast IRI MapRoom Products for South Asia, Dr. Nachiketa Acharya, IRI
11:10 - 11:30	Coffee/Tea Break
Session II SASCOF-15 forecast preparation
11:30 - 13:00	Country presentations - Afghanistan (Mr. Mousawi Sayed Reza, AMD) Bangladesh (Mr, S.M. Mahmudul Huque, BMD) Bhutan (Mr. Phuntsho Wangmo, NCHM) India (Dr. Divya Surendren, IMD) Maldives (Ms. Azeema Ahmed, MMS) Myanmar (Mr.Hla Tun, DMH) Nepal (Mr. Subhash Rimal, DHM) Pakistan (tbc) Sri Lanka (Ms. Preethika Jayakoody, DoM)	Review of 2018 NE monsoon season CPT exercise results Discussion of Result of Forecast for the 2019 Oct - Dec season based on CPT tool
13:30 - 14:00	Lunch
14:00 - 15:00	Review of available forecasts from RCC and GPCs Tokyo Climate Centre (TCC), JMA (Dr. Takuya Komori) International Research Institute (IRI) for Climate and Society, Columbia University, USA (Dr. Nachiketa Acharya) Meteorological Office, UK (Dr. Andrew Colman) Seasonal Climate assessment and products from Regional Climate Center - RCC, Pune, IMD (Dr. O. P. Sreejith)
15:00 - 15:15	Presentation on pre-consensus SASCOF15 forecast for OND 2019.
15:30 - 16:00	Preparation of First Draft of SASCOF-15 consensus statement
16:00 - 16:30	Coffee/Tea Break
16:30 - 17:30	Discussion on Objective procedure for Seasonal Forecast

Day 2 CSUF - Water Sector

Attendance - NMHSs, RCCs, GPCs, collaborating agencies and invited experts, user agencies connected to water sector from South Asia region, collaborating agencies, development partners - including World Bank, Regional UN bodies, invited participants representing water, irrigation and disaster management sector.

Venue: Hycinth Hotel, Thiruvanthapuram, India

Time	Item		Remarks
08:30 - 09:00	Registration for CSUF participants
Session III: Review the features of 2018 NE Monsoon Season and existing seasonal forecast products Chair: Rapporteur:
09:00 - 09:20	Presentation on features of NE monsoon Dr. Balachandran, RMC, IMD, Chennai
09:20 - 09:40	Presentation on Western Disturbance and associated systems over South Asia Dr, Naresh Kumar, IMD, New Delhi
09:40 - 10:00	Review of extreme events from 2018 NE Monsoon in South Asia Ms. Upeakshika, RIMES
10:00 - 10:20	IITM Extended Forecast Products for NE monsoon Season (Dr. Susmitha, IITM)
10:20 - 10:40	NCMRWF Extended Forecast Products for NE Monsoon Season (Dr. Ankur Gupta)
10:40 - 11:00	Coffee/Tea Break
Session IV: Enhancing the use of seasonal products in the user sector Chair: Rapporteur:
11:00 - 11:30	Climate Services of IMD for Water and Health Sector. (Dr. Pulak Guhathakurta, CRS, IMD, Pune)
11:30 - 12:00	Enhancing SASCOF outputs and products based on survey results and SASCOF-14 workshop (Ms. Rebecca Parfitt, UKMO)
12:00 - 12:10	Presentation on SASCOF reporting format and concept by Anshul Agarwal, RIMES
12:00 - 13:30	Country presentations from the water sector representatives:		Feedback on application of seasonal forecasts 2018 NE and 2019 SW monsoon
	Afghanistan (Ruhollah Beigi) Bangladesh (Md. Abul Basher) Bhutan (Tenzin Sonam) India (tbc) Maldives (Mr. Gasith Mohammand)	Myanmar (Mr. Aung Thurein Maw) Nepal (Mr. Amit Prasad Timilsina) Pakistan (tbc) Sri Lanka (Ms. Talatha Janaki Meegastenna)
13:30 - 14:30	Lunch
Session V: Interactive Group discussions Moderators and facilitators (tbc)
14:30 - 15:30	Group discussions: Best practices adapted by user agencies in South Asian countries based on available seasonal forecasts during 2018 NE Monsoon season and 2019 SW Monsoon season		Guided discussions facilitated by RIMES and UKMO
15:30 - 16:00	Presentations by Group Leads: Summarizing the best practices adapted based on weather and climate outlook Brainstorming session on how these practices from the countries can be replicated in all SASCOF countries.
16:00 - 16:30	Coffee/Tea Break
16:30 - 17:00	Brief interventions from UN agencies representatives on application of seasonal forecasts in their planning FAO-RAP, WFP, UNDRR		10 minutes each
17:00 - 17:30	Closing session

Day 3 Main SASCOF-15 Session & CSUF- Water Sector

Attendance - NMHSs, RCCs, GPCs, collaborating agencies and invited experts, all user agencies connected to water sector from South Asia region, collaborating agencies, development partners – including World Bank, Regional UN bodies, invited participants representing water, irrigation and disaster management sector

Venue: Hycinth Hotel, Thiruvananthapuram, India

Time	Item	Remarks
Session VI: Enhancing Climate Services in the Region Chair: Rapporteur:
09:30 - 10:00	WMO efforts to enhance Climate Services, WMO Representative
10:00 - 10:30	International Research and Application Program (IRAP): Lessons learned from the Bihar case study, Dr. James Buizer, University of Arizona
10:30 - 11:00	Presentation on status of Monsoon Forums/NCOFs in SASCOF countries with a focus on improving the linkages of NMHSs with user sectors, by RIMES
11:00 - 11.30	Open discussions
11:30 - 12:30	Inauguration of the Main Session of SASCOF-15 & CSUF Followed by Group Photo
12:30- 14:00	Lunch
Session VII: SASCOF-15 Consensus forecast and its application for water sector Chair: Rapporteur:
14:00 - 14:30	Background on seasonal prediction in the context of post-monsoon & winter season of South Asia and discussion on the 2019 consensus seasonal outlook, Dr. Pai, RCC, IMD, Pune	20 minutes presentation followed by 10 minutes discussions
14:30 - 15:15	Intervention from NMHSs experts on using the SASCOF-15 outlook in the national contexts and the plan to update it during the season	NMHSs can come with their expectations from RCCs and GPCs
15:15 - 16:00	Intervention from user sector participants on application of available forecast in their sector and updates required for better decision making during the season	Users can come with their expectations from NMHSs and how they will report back to SASCOF
16:00 - 16:30	Coffee/Tea Break
16:30 - 17:30	Discussion and closure of Day 2 of SASCOF-15 & CSUF-water