Impact of FGGE buoy system data on southern hemisphere meteorology

Although a definitive evaluation of the performance of the FGGE buoy system will take some time, it is already clear that the buoy data have made a major contribution to both operational and research aspects of southern hemisphere meteorology. The buoys have provided a wealth of information on both the surface drift and sea surface temperature characteristics of the Southern Ocean. Their impact on operational synoptic analysis and prediction in the southern hemisphere during the FGGE year was substantial. The buoy pressure data generally provided an adequate basis for delineation of the large scale flow over the middle and high latitude oceans in a way that has not been possible before. Preliminary evaluations of the impact of the buoy data on numerical prediction have indicated small but significant improvements in skill scores. Regional Forecasting Centres in the southern States of Australia have found that the more accurate delineation of synoptic systems over the oceans to the south has contributed significantly to forecast performance in their Regions. Use of the buoy data, and synoptic analyses based on the buoy data, to examine particular problems in southern hemisphere meteorology is now underway.