Meteorological Service of Canada In support of the 2015 Pan Am
/ Parapan Games Presented by: Rob Simpson Head: Projects and
Installations Air Monitoring and Operations Section MSC, Toronto,
ON May 29 th, 2012
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Our Mandate Includes: Essential Federal Services Safety and
Protection of the public, athletes, and officials The Games will
have large crowds in specific areas Extending Severe Weather
Warning for Venues (specific small area warning) Services will
include: Strong winds, hail, lightning, heavy rain warnings for
venues Health / Air Quality / Smog General inquiries Environmental
Stewardship Emergency Response Sustainability, Assessments
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Our Mandate Does Not Include: Services for operating games
efficiently, or forecasting sport-specific weather thresholds
related to safety or fairness.
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A Comparison A Comparison 2010 Vancouver Olympics 2015 Pan Am
and Parapan Games No. Of Athletes and Coaches 26008000 PanAm 2000
Parapan Volunteers20,00023,000 No. of Sports16 Olympics (10
outdoors) 4 Paralympics 40 PanAm (18 Outdoors) 10 Parapan Range of
Spectator Seating 1,500 to 18,0001,500 to 20,000 (potentially
70,000 Opening/Closing Ceremonies) Duration14 Days Olympics 7 Days
Paralympics (6 Weeks total with Prep time and Wrap-Up) 14 Days Pan
AM 7 Days Parapan (6 Weeks total with Prep time and Wrap-Up)
Participating Countries 8042
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On the Mountain On the Mountain
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In the City In the City Photo by: Mark Watmough
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Summer Severe Weather Heavy Rain/Flooding Infrastructure
Failure Tornadoes Hail SMOG 15 events/yr 2-3 day episodes Heavy
Rain Strong Winds Air Quality Lightning Hail Heat/UV
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Past experience from Sydney, Beijing, and Vancouver Weather
will become the #1 daily Agenda item for the Games Operating
Committee.
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Priorities This Year In order to produce venue specific weather
warnings, we needed observational data at a finer spatial and
temporal scale After an evaluation of the existing weather
observational network, gaps were identified. to build 3 all season
sites 20 to 30 summer only compact sites, some will be collocated
with venues To use additional existing equipment to augment
observation network density
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Three Full Stations Locations selected with MT input to improve
coverage of the GTA area Leases to be concluded soon. Construction
to begin this summer To be built to RCS standard but scheduled for
removal after the games
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Locations
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EWS EWS AMOS will deploy our Emergency weather station.
Location to be determined, but one possible location is Toronto
Island to augment marine forecasts No Environmental Assessment
required as station is portable Recently completed communication
upgrade
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U/A AMOS will deploy our Emergency U/A station. Location to be
determined flight frequency up to 4x a day
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Marine AMOS will deploy one Watchkeeper buoy with one Waverider
buoy to augment wave data Lowest cost option as these assets are
already within the Marine Network Will need CCG assistance with
deployments Plan calls for buoys in the water for testing in FY
2013/14
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Compact Stations Compact Stations will measure T/Td, Pressure,
Wind Speed and Direction, and on some sensor models - precipitation
Many if not all will be camera equipped Cooperation Health Canada
Black Globes for Heat Index
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Compact Stations Communication will be IP modem based Power
will be solar no guarantee of 115v availability Totally portable
deployable from a minivan by one person if necessary ( some
assembly required ) Two stations, one with a camera, running at
CARE, with more coming soon to provide proof-of-concept data