Synoptic awarded UCAR Subcontract for Partnership to Strengthen Weather Observation Networks and Improve Forecasting Accuracy
This partnership integrates 3D-PAWS station data into Synoptic’s platform, delivering real-time weather data and visualization tools, early warning capabilities, and improved weather prediction for meteorological services and U.S. agencies alike.
Synoptic, a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) operating the world’s largest real-time weather and environmental data platform, has been awarded an initial one-year subcontract with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) to integrate data from UCAR’s 3D-PAWS (3D Printed Automatic Weather Station) network into the Synoptic platform. Funded by the US Department of State through the National Weather Service’s International Affairs Office, this agreement will enable the ingest, visualization, and distribution of real-time weather observations globally using the World Meteorological Organization Information System 2.0 (WIS 2.0), with options to extend the partnership beyond the initial contract term.
Photo Source: https://3dpaws.comet.ucar.edu/
The Synoptic Platform will give National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) in 18 countries, with several more coming online soon, a 3D-PAWS network, centralized access to critical, real-time weather information for monitoring, alerting, and forecasting, and data dissemination tools to quickly and easily share information with other agencies and the public. Additionally, when ingested into WIS 2.0, high-quality surface data from these underobserved areas will be available for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) global models in addition to other forecasting and monitoring centers. This initiative addresses a clear operational gap: most countries operating 3D-PAWS networks have not had a unified way to view, manage, and act on data from their stations. Synoptic will facilitate ingest of all available 3D-PAWS data on behalf of the partner countries and provide a centralized visualization platform of their station networks through Synoptic’s Data Viewer (viewer.synopticdata.com). Agencies will be able to monitor their networks through real-time maps, tables, and graph views. Advanced tools, including user-defined dashboards and threshold-based alerts, will also be available to countries.
“This partnership reflects what’s possible when innovative observation networks are paired with modern data infrastructure,” said Ashish Raval, President and CEO of Synoptic. “By giving meteorological services better tools to monitor, manage, and share real-time observations, we can help improve forecasting, strengthen resilience, and deliver greater value to both local communities and the global weather enterprise.”
“The 3D-PAWS project started over 12 years ago and one of the last remaining technology gaps was to have a robust solution that provides an integrated platform to quality monitor, quality control, and display observations in customizable dashboards in real-time,” said Paul Kucera, Assistant Director of the UCAR COMET Program and Team Lead for the Innovative Capacity Development Program. “What really excites me about our new partnership with Synoptic is the ability to create customized dashboards to monitor the status of each 3D-PAWS system and all the components, from the sensors to the status of the battery. If a station is not reporting or a sensor is failing, the Synoptic Data Viewer dashboards can send automatic alerts to our NMHS technicians to troubleshoot and possibly schedule a maintenance visit, minimizing observation downtime. It’s a game changer!”
Sharing Data Improves the Weather Enterprise
Beyond visualization, the partnership creates substantial value across the broader weather enterprise. 3D-PAWS stations are typically located in historically under-observed regions, notably areas with significant gaps in observational coverage that limit the accuracy of numerical weather prediction models. Station data from this partnership will be available through the Synoptic platform, with NOAA, the U.S. Department of State, and UCAR receiving access to advanced tools for project oversight and severe weather monitoring. Data from 3D-PAWS networks can improve the performance of NOAA’s Global Forecast System (GFS), one of the world’s most widely used weather prediction models. Denser, higher-frequency observations from previously data-sparse regions translate to more accurate forecasts, particularly in hurricane-prone areas.
Synoptic will also serve as a data distributor for 3D-PAWS networks, making data available via WIS 2.0. WIS 2.0 is the WMO’s next-generation data-sharing infrastructure, which modernizes global weather data sharing by using open web standards to simplify the secure exchange of trusted weather and environmental data among WMO member countries and the public.
Through this partnership, Synoptic will provide the infrastructure to continuously ingest, manage, and distribute 3D-PAWS observations through a centralized platform. This includes integrating data from newly established stations as additional countries come online, helping ensure consistent access to real-time observations from under-observed regions across the Caribbean, Africa, South Pacific, and beyond.
About Synoptic
Synoptic Data is building the world’s largest real-time environmental data platform. As a Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) provider, we deliver high-resolution, real-time and historical weather and environmental data at scale, supporting critical decisions across public safety, infrastructure, research, and operations. Our platform combines cutting-edge cloud architecture, scalable APIs, and a robust data integration framework to turn complex environmental data into actionable insights. Our intuitive tools—such as the Synoptic Data Viewer and Weather API—make complex environmental data easily accessible and reliable across diverse industries. Trusted by businesses, government agencies, and researchers, Synoptic enables faster, smarter responses to weather and climate-related challenges. Synoptic is a certified B Corp and Public Benefit Corporation, committed to advancing environmental data accessibility and resilience.
About UCAR and the COMET Program
COMET was established in 1989 as a professional development program, initially focused on training NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters in mesoscale meteorology. Our flagship online education and training tool, COMET’s MetEd learning portal, features more than 1,085 free weather, water, and climate lessons, and serves over 840,000 users in 190 countries. The lessons employ cutting-edge instructional design and visualizations that bring scientific concepts to life and simulate the end-to-end forecast process, from how to take weather observations through using numerical weather prediction output and finally to communicating forecast information with end users. During 2014, COMET established the Innovative Capacity Development (ICD) program to better integrate technology development and training efforts into comprehensive capacity development projects. The 3D-PAWS and other recent innovations to support capacity development have been developed under the ICD Program.
COMET is a division of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Community Programs. UCAR is a non-profit consortium of 131 North American universities with atmospheric and related Earth system science programs. UCAR also manages the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) through a 5-year, $938 million cooperative agreement with the NSF.
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