Sensors chosen for Croatian National Weather Observation Network modernisation project

Biral is supplying 34 of its VPF-750 sensors to the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service, a government body that supports the country’s economic and sustainable development.

The strategic modernisation of the National Weather Observation Network in Croatia, METMONIC project will establish a modern and high-quality system of automatic surface meteorological stations, meteorological-oceanographic buoys and remote measurement systems, including meteorological radars.

Biral partner CGS Labs led the project locally to install 34 VPF-750s which form part of the more than 400 modern automatic meteorological systems to provide traceable, reliable and high-quality information on the status of the atmosphere and sea around the Republic of Croatia.

With these in place, those monitoring the data are able to view changes to the weather and climate and see improved early warnings of hazardous conditions, with analysis of the current meteorological observation network confirming the need to increase the availability of measured climate variables as well as the analyses of climate conditions.

The VPF-750 Visibility and Present Weather sensor is the most advanced in Biral’s product range. Its enhanced performance allows the reporting of freezing precipitation in addition to the weather codes typically available from a forward scatter sensor.

The sensor is designed for use in aviation applications where extended weather information, including past weather, is required for inclusion in METAR reports. The sensor is also well suited to research applications and use in meteorological observation networks. The unique backscatter receiver combined with accurate external temperature, humidity and precipitation sensors gives the VPF-750 unparalleled abilities in distinguishing frozen from liquid precipitation, with the added advantage of identifying freezing precipitation. The sensor reports both WMO table 4680 and METAR codes to simplify integration to host systems. A wealth of other data is provided including a transmissometer equivalent EXCO.

Nathan Neal, Sales and Marketing Director at Biral, said: “This is a great project for Biral and we are very pleased to be working on it in partnership with our friends from CGS Labs to improve early warnings to severe weather and contributing to the development of human, technical and scientific capacities in order to help Croatia achieve sustainable development.

“The reliability and measuring accuracy of our sensors leads the way in often difficult applications, so we are happy to be involved and helping to modernise current components to make it easier to access archives and databases and accompanying infrastructure.”