The first awards ceremony dedicated to recognising the world’s leading contributors in meteorology, hydrology, and climate services. Click below to view the winners.
Hosted in conjunction with the CREWS/SIEWAP, Weather Ready Pacific and IFRC meetings, HydrometPAC brought together the Directors of meteorological services from the Pacific islands to discuss how they can partner with the private sector to overcome climate challenges unique to their region. Click below to view the event pack.
Held in Pretoria, the third installment of HydrometAFRICA brought together over 120 delegates from stakeholders across the continent. Click below to view the event pack.
In a recent interview, Tom Copping, CEO of Varysian, sat down with Jon Tarleton of Baron Weather to explore how software innovation, data quality, and visual communication are transforming modern forecasting and emergency response.
The interview covered:
How Baron’s workstation-based platform, Lynx, enables agencies to create high-quality, visually clear weather alerts that go beyond what standard web interfaces can deliver.
How enhanced graphics and videos allow forecasters and emergency services to communicate critical warnings more effectively to the public and decision-makers.
How Baron Weather enhances radar data quality through advanced interference mitigation and machine learning.
Real-world examples of Baron’s global impact, including its partnership with Indonesia’s BMKG, where integrated atmospheric, ocean, and wave modelling is helping improve marine forecasting across more than 15,000 islands.
Measurement, monitoring, and recording form the core of Sommer’s range of services. For almost three decades, Sommer has been developing and implementing innovative measurement technology solutions that are specifically tailored to the demanding requirements of environmental and hydrological measurement technology. The company’s goal is to work with its customers to create ideal solutions that deliver precise measurement data and function reliably even under difficult natural conditions.
The focus is on non-contact flow measurement, enabling the monitoring of water in both liquid and frozen states. Using innovative radar sensors, Sommer provides precise flow measurements in rivers, streams, canals, and all types of open channels. This contactless measurement technology offers key advantages: it is low-maintenance, highly robust, and unaffected by contamination or fluctuating water levels. As a result, it is ideally suited for long-term applications in environmental monitoring and flood management.
Sommer offers contactless measurement solutions specifically for wastewater and industrial waterways, which measure both flow velocity and water level. These solutions use modern radar and ultrasonic technologies that deliver reliable measurement results even under difficult conditions such as foam formation, sediments, or aggressive media.
Another important product offering is tracer systems for flow measurement in streams and channels with unknown cross-sectional profiles. Using the tracer dilution method – either with salt tracers (TQ-S) or fluorescent tracers (TQ-F) – precise measurements can be carried out even where conventional methods reach their limits. These systems are particularly important in research and temporary measurement campaigns.
For groundwater monitoring, Sommer offers reliable level probes that enable continuous monitoring of water levels. They provide important data for water management, environmental protection and long-term resource planning. This range is complemented by automatic weather stations that have been specially developed for alpine and high alpine applications. These stations are designed for harsh weather conditions and provide accurate meteorological data even under extreme environmental conditions.
In the field of snow and avalanche research, Sommer offers sophisticated snow measurement systems. These are used to analyse the composition of the snow cover and to record the snow-water equivalent. In addition, snow scales are used to measure the snow load on flat roofs, thereby helping to significantly reduce the risk of buildings collapsing.
The portfolio is rounded off by data loggers and the MDS Cloud-software, which enable reliable data acquisition, secure transmission, and centralized analysis of measurement data.
With this versatile range of products, Sommer underlines its claim to be a reliable partner for precise measurement technology, sustainable monitoring, and sound data acquisition.
Varysian CEO, Thomas Copping recently spoke with Michael Sommer from SOMMER Messtechnik, a family-owned hydrometry specialist with over 40 years of experience delivering advanced water measurement technologies globally.
Key highlights from the conversation included:
– How the company was founded in Austria and is now led by brothers Michael and Christoph Sommer, continuing the company’s family legacy.
– How the company became specialists in measuring rivers, streams, snow, and ice with technologies deployed in 110+ countries
– An overview of their long-term innovation focus, with some sensor systems taking 10–15 years to develop and fully validate.
– How they support critical climate and safety applications, including avalanche monitoring in the Dolomites for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
The work SOMMER Messtechnik does reinforces the vital role hydrometry plays in understanding climate impacts, managing water resources, and protecting communities worldwide.
Watch the whole interview below:
Meteorage
Varysian CEO, Thomas Copping recently sat down with Stéphane Pédeboy from METEORAGE for a focused interview on lightning detection, partnerships, and customer collaboration.
Key highlights included Meteorage’s work with the South African Weather Service (SAWS), the importance of working closely with customers to deliver real impact and recognition as winners of the Global Hydrometeorological Award for Outstanding Lightning Detection and Early Warning Solutions.
