Dear WG3 Team,

As you may know, draft planning document for the 2026 Smoke Forecast Verification Metrics is ready for your review and improvement. WG3_Plans_2026 - Google Docs

 Please request access if you don't have permissions to comment on the document.

We are seeking volunteers to help revise/improve the following key sections highlighted in yellow in the document:

  • Satellite AOD Observations: Identify which satellite AOD observations to use first. (Would anyone like to help look into this further?)
  • Observational Networks for Vertical Columns: Explore potential networks that can provide vertical column evaluation. (Would anyone like to help look into this further?)
  • Other Data Integration: Investigate important future datasets, such as additional AOD data sources, AERONET, CO from IAGOS, lidar/ceilometer fields, campaign data, and satellite aerosol layer heights (incl. TEMPO). (Would anyone like to help look into this further?)
  • Defining Smoke Plumes: Conduct a brief literature review to determine how best to deal with varying model backgrounds and plume locations. (Would anyone like to help look into this further?)
  • Other Evaluation Websites: Review and suggest other model evaluation websites within WMO and the broader atmospheric composition community to learn from. (Would anyone like to help look into this further?)
  • Potential Tools: Investigate and propose additional tools for model evaluation (beyond MELODIES MONET and V-Profiles). (Would anyone like to help look into this further?)

 

We believe that if you are familiar with any of these areas, it won’t require a significant time commitment, they may be topics you already know very well, just not yet written down. We understand that this is a side project for all of us, and do not wish to burden anyone; we hope the contributions are manageable and meaningful.

 

In addition, we encourage everyone on this mailing list to read the short document and give feedback. Even a simple reply indicating approval, or whether you feel we’re headed in the right (or wrong) direction, would be greatly appreciated.

Please send your comments or volunteer for a section by the end of March.

 

Thank you all for your time and contributions!
Ivana and Rebecca
NA VFSP-WAS Evaluation Working Group (WG3)