EUMETSAT plans weather-data sharing through global network

EUMETSAT plans to distribute global observations from two Metop Second Generation A1 satellite instruments through the World Meteorological Organization’s data-sharing network from October 21, 2026. Its October 15 notice sets out a new distribution route for radio-occultation and microwave measurements through the WMO Information System 2.0 (WIS2).

The announcement covers Level 1b global data in BUFR format from the radio-occultation sounder, listed as RO/GRAS-2, and the Microwave Sounder (MWS). It provides a separate subscription topic for each instrument, both under the network’s core weather and space-based observations categories.

WMO describes WIS2 as the framework for sharing data across its members and disciplines. Users subscribe to a Global Broker to receive notifications when data are available, then download them from a Global Cache or the provider. A Global Discovery Catalogue identifies datasets and their access routes.

The two instruments observe different atmospheric properties. EUMETSAT’s September 2025 first-data account describes microwave measurements of temperature, humidity, precipitation and ice clouds, alongside radio-occultation profiles of temperature, humidity and ionospheric electron density. Those earlier observations are background to the distribution change announced this week.

The October 15 notice gives subscription paths ending in /metop-sga1/ro and /metop-sga1/mws. October 21 remains the scheduled start for this WIS2 distribution; the announcement does not establish that delivery through the new route has already begun.