Standard activities of the weather watch department

The Weather Watch Department of the Republic Hydro-meteorological Service of Serbia, as part of the World Weather Watch, monitors weather 24 hours a day through its sections:

Upper-air Observations Section, makes upper-air and ground measurements of meteorological parameters, process data and gives reports. Radio sounding is the basic method for upper-air measurements and observations and is made by balloon-borne radiosondes. Radar Meteorology Section, using the radar at Kosutnjak, tracks down clouds and cloud systems in the area of 300 km around Belgrade. This is very precise method for time-spatial estimation of precipitation and extreme weather events. Deriving parameters for estimating precipitation intensity and quantity, also timely announcements and severe weather warnings, which result in significant reduction in material damage and prevention of human life loss.

Numerical Weather Prediction Section, makes objective analysis, initialization of meteorological fields and preparation of the boundary conditions for synoptic and mesoscale numerical weather models, using collected and processed data.

Weather Forecast Section, incorporates work of all other Sections of the Weather Watch Department by making operational forecasts.