Jin Huang and Sandy Lucas from NOAA, with the support of Mike Patterson, Director of the USCLIVAR Project office, organized on 9^th September a teleconference with Sonya Legg, co-chair of the CLIVAR SSG, and Jose Santos, Executive Director of the International CLIVAR Project office, to present the initiative GPEX.

A new and exciting research activity is currently being discussed by agencies of the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), USGEWEX, USCLIVAR, which is to address key scientific gaps in precipitation prediction. The concept of the activity has been referred to as Global Precipitation Experiment (GPEX), although the name and the scope of GPEX could be modified based on the discussions with international partners

The overall goal of the Global Precipitation Experiment (GPEX) is to systematically and comprehensively address the precipitation prediction grand challenge, using an integrated observations and modeling strategy, and targeting priority processes and phenomena that are key to improving precipitation forecasts. Improving precipitation forecasts requires a long-term and global research commitment. It is envisioned that GPEX will be a multi-year project and requires national and international participation and collaboration.

The meeting was to socialize the GPEX concept and to discuss the interest and opportunities from international CLIVAR.  This is part of the GPEX international engagement with key partners (CLIVAR, GEWEX, and WCRP).

The objectives of GPEX are very much aligned with many scientific interests of several CLIVAR groups, thus the CLIVAR leadership will internally discuss how to engage and support this international initiative (including selecting some CLIVAR representatives to be part of the GPEX Science Team which is expected to be in place by 2022).