Met Office Users

European Meteorological Infrastructure (EMI)

 

EUMETSAT responds to the evolving needs of Member States’ National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) through the EMI.

Met Office Users
Met Office Users

EUMETSAT is a member of the network of operational meteorological organisations responsible for the European meteorological infrastructure.

Last Updated

29 November 2023

Published on

02 April 2020

Working in close cooperation, the network members deploy the operational infrastructures and resources required to provide Europe with a comprehensive meteorological system, including ground-based measurements (meteorological services and EUMETNET), numerical weather prediction models (meteorological services and the ECMWF) and observations from space (EUMETSAT).

Fellow members are the European Meteorological Network (EUMETNET), the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), and our member states’ national meteorological and hydrological services.

EUMETNET

One of the building blocks of the EMI, EUMETNET is a network of 31 European NMHS.

What it does

It provides a framework for organising cooperative programmes between NMHS for a range of meteorological activities, including observing systems, data processing, basic forecasting products, research and development, and training.

How we work together

The activities of EUMETSAT and EUMETNET are complementary. EUMETNET is responsible for in-situ observing systems, which complement EUMETSAT's satellite observation systems to provide NMHS with optimum information for their activities.

EUMETSAT participates in the European Virtual Organisation for Meteorological Training (EUMETCAL) initiative, led by EUMETNET. EUMETCAL enables European NMHS to enhance their training capabilities through the development and provision of virtual training tools, an extensive virtual training library, training workshops, interactive learning modules and an integrated programme of learning courses.

Since 2010, EUMETSAT has also been a formal participant in the EUMETRep programme. This optional EUMETNET programme aims to represent the interests of EUMETNET members to European Union institutions.

For more information, please visit the EUMETNET website.

ECMWF

The ECMWF is an independent intergovernmental organisation supported by 30 States.

The ECMWF’s core mission is to:

  • produce numerical weather forecasts and monitor the Earth system;
  • carry out scientific and technical research to improve forecast skill;
  • maintain an archive of meteorological data.

What it does

In order to deliver this core mission, the Centre provides:

  • global numerical weather forecasts four times per day
  • air quality analysis
  • atmospheric composition monitoring
  • climate monitoring
  • ocean circulation analysis
  • hydrological predictions
  • fire risk predictions

Additionally, the ECMWF operates two services on behalf of the European Union’s Copernicus Programme: the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).

How we work together

The ECMWF is one of the major users of EUMETSAT data and products, which serve as key inputs to its weather forecasting models, demonstrating the growing importance of satellite data assimilated in NWP models.

EUMETSAT and the ECMWF maintain a strong relationship, meeting and exchanging information on a regular basis. This strong cooperation facilitates the generation and production of a comprehensive range of meteorological, oceanographic and atmospheric products, whose quality is recognised and valued worldwide.

EUMETSAT and the ECMWF are also developing relationships in the context of Copernicus. As mentioned, the ECMWF is the delegated entity for operating the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring and Climate Change services.

EUMETSAT is the main space data provider of these services through its own satellites, the Sentinels operated by EUMETSAT and third party missions.

For more information, please visit the ECMWF website.