A NEW APPROACH IN DELIVERING WEATHER INFORMATION TO WINTER ROAD MAINTENANCE CREWS WORKING FOR THE QUEBEC MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION

The Meteorological Service of Canada has developed a new and unique way of providing weather information, which is adapted to the needs of winter road maintainers. In addition to the detailed specialized precipitations forecast, road maintainers receive a subjective so-called "confidence-index" from the weather forecasting professional, as well as a code designed to identify the nature of the weather system, which has been forecast to influence the weather overall and at each particular point forecast. The confidence-index is intended to reflect the degree of confidence the forecaster has in the forecast and in the predicted evolution of the type of weather system being identified. This confidence-index may vary from one point in the province to another depending on the weather system identified. All "classical" weather systems that could possibly affect the province have been catalouged, documented and explained to road maintainers. This approach is intended to be dynamic and to emphasize the responsibility of road maintainers in allowing them to anticipate the difficulties they will likely encounter with a particular type of weather system. The objective of this paper is to explain the process used and the usefulness of such an approach.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Conference Proceedings available on CD-ROM.
• Corporate Authors:

  World Road Association (PIARC)

  La Grande Arche, Paroi Nord, Niveau 5
  F-92055 La Defense Cedex,   France 
• Authors:
  • Cantin, A
• Conference:
  • New Challenges for Winter Road Service. XIth International Winter Road Congress
  • Location: Sapporo, Japan
  • Date: 2002-1-28 to 2002-1-31
• Publication Date: 2002

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 9p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Maintenance personnel; Needs assessment; Road weather information systems; Surface temperature; Weather forecasting; Winter maintenance
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00925115
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 3 2002 12:00AM