Currently, enroute hazardous weather information is provided by the meteorological watch offices (MWOs) operated by various countries. At the Meteorology Divisional meeting of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in 2014, the meeting decided that the responsibility for provision of enroute hazardous weather information would gradually be taken up by regional centres in the next 10 years or so to provide better, more suitable and more consistent services to aviation users.

In response to the rising needs in the global aviation communities, the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), and the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) jointly established the Asian Aviation Meteorological Centre (AAMC). Through partnership, AAMC aims to provide quality meteorological services to the aviation industry over the Asia-Pacific region, enhancing the safety and efficiency of flights.

In view of the large geographical region, research and development on products for weather monitoring and prediction are needed. By applying meteorological big data and related technologies of artificial intelligence, automated tools on monitoring and forecasting thunderstorm, turbulence, icing and other hazardous weather are developed to support weather forecasters.



AAMC commenced operation in 11 July 2018. The main centre in Beijing is operated by the CAAC and the backup centre in Hong Kong is operated by the HKO. Both centres operate simultaneously to ensure the stability and reliability of service.

AAMC built an online monitoring and collaboration platform to show various data using the geographic information system (GIS), including:

• Weather observations by aerodrome globally
• Meteorological satellite, radar, and global lightning data
• Forecasts by numerical weather predictions models
• Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) issued by MWOs globally
• AMDAR and weather reports from pilots

AAMC will issue hazardous weather guidance products regularly, which are jointly prepared by a team of forecasters from the HKO and their counterparts from CAAC. Using various tools and products and utilizing forecasters’ experience, the team issues guidance products for other MWOs reference. To improve forecasting capabilities and strengthen communications, forecasters from HKO and CAAC hold weather conference every morning through video conferencing, and exchange opinion on weather forecasts every few hours through the online chat room on the coordination platform.

Asian Aviation Meteorological Centre commences operation

This link will open in a new windowInformation Paper of the 22nd Meeting of the ICAO meteorology sub-group (MET SG/22) IP/23

HKO signs co-operation agreement with CAAC and CMA on Asian Aviation Weather Centre