"We work together every day, and we are like brothers and sisters." On April 30, Sohail Babar Cheema and Syed Zeeshan Haider, experts from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), concluded their three-week joint research and development work at the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) and returned to Pakistan.

The joint development work by CMA and PMD has resulted in an Early Warning Supporting System tailored for Pakistan. The system features a cloud-based open platform and toolbox series covering local information access, NWP models, AI models, severe weather identification algorithms, early warning information dissemination, etc., enabling swift and effective tracking of meteorological disasters. Upon the established framework, the toolboxes are configurable and accessible for further customization by users.

During their stay in China, the PMD experts engaged in lively discussions with CMA counterparts. "How about displaying global precipitation data here?" "Can this data be displayed for each province?" The exchanges were filled with enthusiasm and a shared commitment to system improvement. Through their interactions, the PMD experts gained a deep understanding of CMA's meteorological services. They learned how FENGYUN meteorological satellites and NWP models could be utilized for weather forecasting and climate prediction, how to employ a color-coded warning system to identify different levels of meteorological disasters, and disseminate weather forecasts to the public through various media channels, including the English website and overseas social media platforms, thereby enhancing global understanding of the UN's Early Warnings For All Initiative.

PMD experts expressed heartfelt gratitude for CMA's unwavering support when the unprecedentedly devastating floods struck Pakistan in 2022. CMA provided crucial assistance in meteorological equipment, satellite monitoring and remote-sensing, weather forecasting, information systems, as well as expert field surveys and disaster impact assessment.

As Pakistan grapples with the increasing frequency and severity of meteorological disasters due to global climate change, the need for effective prevention and mitigation measures has become more pressing than ever. "The Early Warning Supporting System will play a vital role in enhancing Pakistan's meteorological operations and saving countless lives," Haider emphasized.

The CMA team is set to continue its collaboration with PMD later this year, focusing on the localized application of the system in Pakistan. A dedicated training class on the Integrated Cloud-based Early Warning Supporting System will be conducted in the latter half of 2024. Through joint efforts, China and Pakistan aim to contribute significantly to the UN's Early Warnings For All Initiative, ensuring a safer future for national and international well-being.

Editor: XU Nenyu, QIAN Xin