Enhancing meteorological monitoring network in Croatia with six Vaisala weather radars

Weather radar network in Croatia
Published:
Weather & Environment
Meteorology

Facilitated by Vaisala’s local partner, Zagrel d.o.o., this weather radar agreement empowers the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service DHMZ to track more detailed and actionable forecasting data as well as to keep the public safe.

An agreement made with DHMZ and Zagrel aim to modernize the Republic of Croatia’s meteorological monitoring network with six Vaisala C-band Doppler dual-polarized weather radars and systems for collection, processing, conversion, and distribution of radar measurements. 

“As extreme weather and climate events increase, the role that weather radars play in monitoring and forecasting the weather is more important than ever,” said Dr. Branka Ivančan-Picek, Director General of DHMZ. “Vaisala’s weather radars provide comprehensive intelligence, which will improve the accuracy of warnings for dangerous weather conditions – to better protect people and property.”

“Zagrel d.o.o. has been Vaisala’s partner in the Croatian market for a long time, and we are now proud to participate in the modernization of our national meteorological service, opening a new era of excellence in weather measurements, and enhancement of meteorological monitoring network,” said Tomislav Domac, CEO of Zagrel.

Financed by the European Union and the Republic of Croatia, DHMZ’s procurement of Vaisala weather radars will enable the agency to replace three existing meteorological radars and install radars at three new coastal locations, ensuring coverage of the entire Croatian territory.

“Today, weather radar data is irreplaceable,” said Pekka Utela, Head of Offering, Weather Radars of Vaisala. “By upgrading to our WRM200 dual polarization weather radars, DHMZ will acquire new measurement capabilities such as real-time precipitation type classification, enabling accurate and timely detection of dangerous meteorological phenomena.”

The agreement, made with Vaisala’s local partner Zagrel, also helps DHMZ to create the preconditions necessary to achieve one of the main goals of the Modernization of the National Weather Observation Network in Croatia (METMONIC) project: to provide a system for monitoring the development of storm clouds and spatial distribution of rainfall and intensity throughout Croatia for early warning of the possibility of high rainfall in a short time. The METMONIC project aims to establish a modern and high-quality system of 450 automatic ground meteorological stations, oceanographic buoys, and remote atmospheric measurement systems for 100% coverage of Croatian territory by meteorological measurements.

For more information about Vaisala’s weather radar products, please visit www.vaisala.com/weather-radars.