In order to further identify the problems encountered in the implementation of the Technical Study of Randomized Rain Enhancement Field Experiment and Verification TSRREFEV, a sector-wide project, for a subsequently smoother progress, CMA Weather Modification Center WMC organized a seminar on the project review and its work plan for 2019 in Beijing on 19 April. The meeting was chaired by Li Jiming, Project Manager, and attended by sub-project managers and lead researchers from Shandong, Fujian, Hainan and Jilin provinces, and director of Beijing Weather Modification Office.

Yao Zhanyu, technical leader of the project, reviewed the overall goals, performance indicators and annual objectives, comprehensively introduced the project implementation, the outcomes achieved and the existing problems. The sub-project managers also shared information on the ongoing experiment in their respective areas from 2014 to 2018, in the context of overall goals and performance indicators, in such dimensions as the development of a sample database of randomized rain enhancement field experiment, a e analysis of samples based on radar, rain gauge and rain spectrograph observations, the establishment of a technical system for validation of rain enhancement operations in experimental areas, the operational application of effect evaluation of provincial rain enhancement operations in experimental areas, the publication of related papers and the capacity development of staff.

Having heard the progress report, Li Jiming, WMC director, put forward the work requirements for 2019: 1. Set milestones based on performance assessment indicators 2. Submit a physical verification report on the rain enhancement operated by phase in a typical cloud system over experimental areas and 3. Pre-audit funding for the project acceptance. In addition, he indicated his hope that the relevant provincial weather modification offices would think out of the box for new ideas and innovative methods to make full use of various observations for the development of the conceptual models and technical methods that are applicable to operational validation of rain enhancement. In sum, research and engineering projects should be combined with actual operation as a technical enabler for meteorological services and support.

By Teng Xia, WMC