The new EMS programme structure, where forecast verification is embedded under two program streams, Operational Systems and Applications (OSA) and Engagement with Society (ES) allows for submission of papers covering all verification aspects from research to applications to general verification practice and across all time and space scales, from nowcasts to climate projections. It is desirable that the focus of contributions be on forecast applications serving the society in one way or another and, consequently, assessing the potential adaptation of such applications in practice.

Highly welcome verification subjects and themes include high-impact, user oriented applications, warnings against adverse weather events or events with high risk or user relevance (for example energy, agriculture sectors or health issues) and multi-disciplinary approaches in various fields (for example hydrology, transport).

Papers on verification methods taking into account observation uncertainty, verification of probabilistic and ensemble forecasts, spatial verification techniques, methodologies to assess operational forecast products and services as well as communication of verification information to end-users and decision-makers are encouraged.

The sub-session on "Mesoscale Verification Inter-Comparison over Complex Terrain" (MesoVICT) is an integral part of the Forecast Verification session. The project, launched at the 2013 EMS/ECAM meeting, and which is likely to conclude by early 2019, focuses on the analysis and development of spatial verification methods using case studies from the MAP D-PHASE/COPS data sets over the Alps. For this sub-session we invite submissions on spatial verification techniques over complex terrain.