Weather balloons fly twice a day. Our drones fly sub-hourly.

Severe weather doesn’t start in the sky—it starts near the ground. And that’s exactly where traditional observations fall short. At the University of Oklahoma’s research site, a new system is changing how we measure the atmosphere. Meteomatics’ Meteobase and Meteodrones are capturing high-resolution data in the lowest layers of the atmosphere—where storms begin and forecasts often struggle. Instead of relying on weather balloons launched just twice a day, these drone-based measurements can be deployed dynamically—even multiple times per hour during severe weather events. This pilot program, supporting the National Mesonet Program, is already delivering real-time atmospheric data directly into Synoptic systems—helping forecasters track rapidly evolving conditions with greater accuracy. In this video, you’ll see: How drones are filling critical weather data gaps Why the lowest 1,000 meters of the atmosphere matter most How real-time observations improve severe weather forecasting What this means for the future of meteorology Forecasting shouldn’t rely on snapshots in time. It should reflect what the atmosphere is doing right now. 📍 Location: University of Oklahoma Research Site 🌪️ Focus: Severe weather, boundary layer observations, real-time forecasting Learn more about Meteomatics and Meteobase: https://www.meteomatics.com #Weather #Meteorology #SevereWeather #Drones #WeatherForecasting #Oklahoma #ClimateTech #Mesonet #AtmosphericScience