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Weather Radar Network

Upgraded. Expanded. Fully automated, 24/7.

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Swiss federal authoritiesSwiss federal authorities

One of the core duties of the national weather service, MeteoSwiss, is to observe the atmosphere and weather developments. Precipitation and thunderstorms are events of particular importance because they can trigger flooding, hail, strong winds and mudslides.

Supplementing the conventional precipitation measurements taken at ground level meteorological stations, MeteoSwiss now operates a network of five weather radar stations which record precipitation and storms in real time, are fully automated and, between them, cover the whole of Switzerland.

The sites are

  • Albis near Zurich
  • Monte Lema in the Canton of Ticino
  • La Dôle near Geneva

and, the new addition

  • Pointe de la Plaine Morte in the Canton of Valais
  • the Weissfluhgipfel in the canton of Graubünden

As part of the Rad4Alp project, MeteoSwiss has upgraded the radar network and added two further weather radar stations in the inner Alpine region. All of the weather radar stations have been equipped with the latest technology (dual polarisation), which will allow even more detailed measurements to be taken, and increase the precision of storm warnings.

The weather radar station on the Weissfluhgipfel, which is located at an altitude of 2,850 m above sea level, was equipped with the latest technology (dual polarisation) and commenced operation in 2016. This new weather radar monitors the atmosphere in the inner Alpine region.

Weather radar station on the Weissfluhgipfel at 2,850 m above sea level - lowering the radome into place.

A weather radar measures every type of precipitation in real time and aids in the early detection of heavy precipitation and storms. The weather radar station on the Albis, which is located at an altitude of 925 m above sea level and was equipped with the latest technology (dual polarisation) in 2012, monitors the atmosphere of the whole of northern Switzerland.

A weather radar measures every type of precipitation in real time and aids in the early detection of heavy precipitation and storms. The weather radar station on the Pointe de la Plaine Morte, located at an altitude of 2,942 m above sea level, was equipped with the latest technology (dual polarisation) and commenced operation in 2014. This new weather radar monitors the atmosphere in the inner Alpine region.

The Weather radar Monte Lema: The weather radar station on the Monte Lema, which is located at an altitude of 1‘626 m above sea level and was equipped with the latest technology (dual polarisation) in 2011, monitors the atmosphere of the whole of southern Switzerland.

A weather radar measures every type of precipitation in real time and aids in the early detection of heavy precipitation and storms. The weather radar station on La Dôle, which is located at an altitude of 1‘682 m above sea level, was equipped with the latest technology (dual polarisation) in 2011.