MeteoSwiss - News

04.05.2012

Euro-Climhist is now online

The release of Euro-Climhist was the occasion for the Symposium 'The relevance of historical documentary data for the ongoing debate about climate and natural hazards' that took place on May 3rd, 2012. The new online database is of use for the analysis of climate change and natural hazards by science, administration or planning bureaus. Euro-Climhist contains more than 120'000 data sets for the period 1550-1864. This data set includes historical data on weather, climate and natural hazards in Switzerland. The data base was developed at the Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research at the University of Bern with support by the Swiss GCOS Office located at MeteoSwiss.

Euro-Climhist

Press Release

NZZ

09.02.2012

9th GCOS Roundtable
On January 26, 2012 around 40 partner institutions involved in climate observation in Switzerland gathered at MeteoSwiss in Zurich for the annual GCOS Roundtable. The topics covered by the meeting included an overview of national and international GCOS activities as well as presentations on the latest developments and activities within the National Climate Observing System (GCOS Switzerland).
GCOS Round Table

17.11.2011

New report on Swiss GCOS data in international data centers
The Swiss GCOS Office has recently published a new report that summarizes information about the availability of Swiss GCOS data in international data centers. Both the flow of data and the responsibilities are described. The reports reflects the great - mostly voluntary - efforts of the participating institutions. Furthermore, the current status of various essential climate variables (ECVS) is documented.
GCOS publications

12.09.2011

Coordination of the SDC project CATCOS by the Swiss GCOS Office

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) funds the project CATCOS (Capacity Building and Twinning for Climate Observing System). CATCOS is carried out between 2011 and 2013 and involves several countries in Asia, Africa, and South America. The project aims at the improvement of climate observations in areas with large data gaps and the formation of competent professionals.
GCOS Cooperation Mechanism

29.11.2010	Satellite Retrieval of Lake Surface Temperatures of Swiss Lakes Lake surface temperatures contain valuable information on the regional climate. The Remote Sensing Research Group (RSGB) at the Institute of Geography of the University of Berne has been archiving satellite data (NOAA AVHRR) for more than 20 years. RSGB is presently using these data in the context of the Swiss GCOS programme to retrieve lake surface temperatures and to construct time series for various Swiss lakes for the period 1985 thru 2010. GCOS-CH Lake Surface Temperatures (LST)
28.09.2010	International Summit of Glacier Experts in Zermatt The first week in September saw international glaciologists flock to the Swiss alpine resort Zermatt to gather in the decennial 'World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) General Assembly'. Beneath the impressive Matterhorn, the challenges and future of glacier observation were discussed. The WGMS General Assembly was preceded by the concluding meeting of 'GlobGlacier', a European Space Agency (ESA) project targeting the use of satellite data for glacier monitoring. World Glacier Monitoring Service ESA News
28.06.2010	Euro-Climhist informs on the history of climate and natural catastrophes in Switzerland and Europe Based on the decision by the Swiss Federal Council on GCOS from June 2008, this system is operated on a long-term basis at the Institute of History of the University of Berne by the Section for Economic, Social and Environmental History (WSU) with financial support of GCOS Switzerland and the Oeschger Centre. The information system Euro-Climhist provides for the continuous recording, archiving and analysis of historical data on natural catastrophes, extreme weather events, phenological data etc. Euro-Climhist
24.02.2010	Payerne becomes reference site in the global GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN) The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has invited the MeteoSwiss aerological station in Payerne to become part of a global network of reference sites for the climate observation of the atmosphere. The Payerne station is among the first 15 of its kind worldwide. Press Release
11.01.2010	CO2 measurements at the Jungfraujoch by the University of Bern in the context of GCOS Switzerland. Anthropogenic greenhouse gases are the main cause of global warming. Since the beginning of 2010 MeteoSwiss ensures the continuation of the CO2 measurements at the Jungfraujoch carried out by the University of Bern. The High Altitude Research Station Jungfraujoch is one of the 25 global stations of the "Global Atmosphere Watch" (GAW) programme of the World Meteorology Organization (WMO). CO2 measurements at the Jungfraujoch

14.12.2009

Continuation of valuable snow water equivalent measurements in the Wägital

On the basis of snow water equivalent (SWE) measurements, important conclusions for the changes in Alpine winter precipitations can be done. Based on the decision of the Swiss Federal Council on June 6, 2008 concerning the financing of valuable climate measurements series in the context of GCOS, Meteodat GmbH and MeteoSwiss signed a long-term agreement on December 14, 2009, coming into effect on January 1, 2010. Meteodat GmbH is thereby charged with continuing the important snow-hydrological measurements in the Wägital.

Meteodat

19.05.2009

Agreement between MeteoSwiss and University of Zurich signed
Based on the Swiss Federal Council's decision on June 6, 2008 to ensure the financing of valuable long climate measurement series, the first of several agreements was signed on May 19, 2009. Due to the crucial importance of a global long term monitoring of glaciers for the observation of the climate system, the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) at the department of geography of the University of Zurich will be run by order of MeteoSwiss as a contribution to GCOS as of 2010.
World Glacier Monitoring Service

29.01.2009

Special postage stamp "Protect the glaciers" launched at GCOS-Roundtable
At the GCOS Round Table the new postage stamp "Protect the glaciers" was first introduced; the stamp, which is an initiative by the Swiss Post and the Universities of Zurich and Fribourg, demonstrates impressively how sensitive our Alpine glaciers react to climate change. It will be available at post offices as of March 5th, 2009.
Press Release
GCOS Round Table

14.11.2008	Local observations... for global understanding After the publication of the detailed report "National Climate Observing System" (GCOS Switzerland) in 2007, the Swiss GCOS Office now presents the first brochure on GCOS Switzerland. The brochure is available in English, German and French. Copies can be obtained free of charge at the Swiss GCOS Office. GCOS publications
27.10.2008	Successful GCOS Switzerland Event More than 100 persons from the science, administration and politics as well as the media attended the GCOS Information Day in Zurich on October 21st, 2008. In his presentation, Professor Thomas Stocker stressed that "long measurement series of highest quality are the basis for determining trends and, hence, constitute an important basis for policy makers".
06.06.2008	Series of climate measurements sustainably ensured The most valuable series of climate measurements will be sustainably ensured. Upon request of the Federal Department of Home Affairs, the Swiss Federal Council approved a financial contribution which will ensure the continuation of the most important series of climate measurements, therewith preserving Switzerland's significant position in global climate observation. Press Release
28.03.2008	Report "National Climate Observing System" is newly in English available The GCOS report gives a comprehensive overview of the different essential climate variables and their measurement in Switzerland. Newly the report is also available in English. GCOS publications Mitteilung I der WMO Mitteilung II der WMO

26.11.2007

For the first time, a complete inventory of climate measurement series in Switzerland
For the first time, a national inventory of climate measurement series of particular significance has been compiled by the Swiss GCOS Office at MeteoSwiss. The variety, continuity and quality of these data series are outstanding. They range from measurements of temperature through observations of tree flowering to studies of Alpine permafrost.

Press Release
GCOS publications