The stations are now being gradually installed and brought into operation by the agencies. This is the start of a rollout that will progressively benefit 11 participating national meteorological and hydrological services (NMHSs) across 10 countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Ukraine.
MTG is the new generation of the Meteosat satellites whose data the region’s weather services have received for more than a decade. It delivers more frequent, higher-resolution observations than the current Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites, along with new capabilities to detect lightning and to measure temperature and humidity at different levels of the atmosphere. The new stations will also continue to receive MSG data, supporting a smooth transition from MSG to MTG.
These new capabilities are particularly valuable for monitoring rapidly developing storms, whose timing, location and intensity can be difficult to predict, even with the most advanced weather models. By combining near-real-time satellite observations with radar and other weather data, forecasters can track how storms develop, refine short-term forecasts and issue more timely and accurate warnings.
“Timely access to high-quality satellite data is essential for every weather service,” said Vincent Gabaglio, International Relations Officer at EUMETSAT. “By working closely with the national weather services of our neighbouring countries in the Balkans and the wider Black Sea region, we want to help forecasters make full use of Meteosat Third Generation to protect their citizens. This rollout builds on more than 15 years of cooperation, and we look forward to continuing it with our partners, the European Union and the World Meteorological Organization.”
The new stations are part of
EUMETSAT’s Data Access for Western Balkan, Eastern European and Caucasian Countries (DAWBEE) project, launched in 2009 to give neighbouring weather services that are not EUMETSAT Member States direct, operational access to EUMETSAT satellite data. Working with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), EUMETSAT installed the first reception stations in 2011 and upgraded them in 2019. The new generation of stations, developed under the DAWBEE-MTG project launched in 2023, will support reception of MTG data into the mid-2040s.
Read our accompanying article to
discover how Georgia’s meteorological service is using MTG data to improve severe weather monitoring and deliver more timely warnings to communities.
About EUMETSAT – Trusted in Space. Essential on Earth.
Since 1986, EUMETSAT, Europe’s meteorological satellite agency, has monitored weather and climate from space. From its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, it operates a fleet of satellites observing the Earth system and delivers real-time data and imagery to its 30 Member States to help protect communities and support critical sectors. Five Meteosat satellites in geostationary orbit provide continuous observations of fast developing weather events, while two polar-orbiting Metop satellites deliver data critical for forecasts up to 10 days ahead. EUMETSAT also supports European sovereignty policies, operating services under the Copernicus programme and leading development and management of the data lake for the Destination Earth initiative. For more information, visit the
EUMETSAT website.
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