Marcel Zvolenský (CEMS DISS), Svea Bertolatus (CEMS DISS), Tim Sperzel (CEMS MDCC), and Conrad Brendel (CEMS DISS) with the participants in Ljubljana.
Marcel Zvolenský (CEMS DISS), Svea Bertolatus (CEMS DISS), Tim Sperzel (CEMS MDCC), and Conrad Brendel (CEMS DISS) with the participants in Ljubljana.

by CEMS-Flood Analytics and Dissemination Centre (CEMS DISS)

All EFAS partners may request a training on the EFAS service and products to better make use of the available information. On February 29th – March 1st 2024, an EFAS training was held for the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) and the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (DHMZ).

The training took place at ARSO in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and the event was organized by the Analytics and Dissemination Centre (CEMS DISS) and ARSO with support from the Computational Centre (CEMS COMP), the Meteorological Data Collection Centre (CEMS MDCC) and the Hydrological Data Collection Centre (CEMS HDCC). The training was held in a hybrid format with representatives from CEMS DISS and CEMS MDCC present on site and other lecturers joining online. This setup worked exceptionally well thanks to a very professional preparation on the technical side at ARSO.

Presentations covered a wide range of topics during the two-day training event. In addition to an overview of the history and organizational structure of EFAS, a number of recent products were highlighted. Other presentations included an overview of the EFAS hydrological modelling system, a summary of the model performance and forecast skill for Slovenia and Croatia, and a discussion of feedback collection for EFAS notifications and missed events. Substantial time was also provided for a hands-on session during which the organizers and participants shared experiences on how they analyse flood signals using EFAS. As part of this session, ARSO and DHMZ also presented case studies of the value provided by EFAS during the significant 2023 flooding events in their respective countries.

Photo 2. The hands-on session provided an opportunity for the organizers and participants to exchange experiences on how they analyse flood signals using EFAS.
The hands-on session provided an opportunity for the organizers and participants to exchange experiences on how they analyse flood signals using EFAS.

Open and constructive discussions throughout the training resulted in many positive suggestions for how the EFAS products and services can continue to be enhanced. The information EFAS provides on flash flooding is highly valuable for the participants, and ideas were shared on how flash flood impacts and probability can be conveyed for different purposes. Feedback was also provided for how EFAS seasonal and sub-seasonal forecasts could be improved for small regions.

Photo 3. The dragon is the symbol of Ljubljana, and time was given for informal interaction between the instructors and participants during a walking tour of the city to sites including the famous Dragon Bridge.
The dragon is the symbol of Ljubljana, and time was given for informal interaction between the instructors and participants during a walking tour of the city to sites including the famous Dragon Bridge.

In total, there were 22 participants from CEMS DISS, CEMS MDCC, CEMS HDCC, CEMS COMP, ARSO, and DHMZ. Both the organizers and participants agreed that this training provided a valuable opportunity to exchange knowledge, ideas, and feedback and that they are looking forward to continuing the cooperation with each other.

How to request a training

All EFAS partner who wish to receive a training can get in touch with the CEMS-Flood Analytics and Dissemination centre, either using the contact form on EFAS homepage or sending an email to info@efas.eu. Partners who have not received a training before are being prioritised.