Biral to install its SWS-250 weather sensors across Greece after major project win with the Hellenic National Meteorological Service

Leading meteorological expert, Biral, has today announced that it is to install 80 of its SWS-250 weather sensors across Greece after winning a major project with the Hellenic National Meteorological Service.

Biral will work with Microstep on the two-year project to provide comprehensive meteorological information to critical productive and developmental sectors, such as public bodies and educational and research institutions.

It will also include the expansion of Greece’s existing network of Automated Weather Stations (AWS), which will be installed in selected areas for the measurement, recording and processing of meteorological data on a 24-hour basis.

Additionally, the project will also upgrade the existing network of upper atmosphere stations with Automated Radiosonde Systems (ARS) for the measurement, recording and processing of meteorological data of the upper atmosphere. Part of the Automatic Weather Stations and their sensors will be installed near the sea, in a particularly harsh operating environment.

As well as installing sensors on weather stations, the project will include the development of a web portal so meteorological information can be quickly and easily circulated.

Biral’s SWS-250 weather sensor is optimised for use in aviation applications where both visibility and extended present and past weather information is required. With its ultimate visibility performance, the visual range can extend to 99.99km, allowing for use in meteorological observation networks and research applications.

It incorporates a back scatter receiver to form a visibility and present weather sensor. Designed for both runway use and ‘met gardens’, the SWS-250 has a visibility performance up to 75km and reports 39 WOM 4680 codes. The sensor measures visibility, fog, haze, drizzle, snow, hail and other non-frozen precipitation according to WMO-4680.

Built to a high specification, in powder coated aluminium for long and reliable service, the SWS-250 can be integrated with an ambient light sensor for use in aviation applications where both RVR and METAR data are needed. An optional calibration kit is available, which allows calibration in the field to be carried out simply and quickly.

The Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS) was founded in 1931 and is a government agency responsible for making weather forecasts and observations for Greece. Under the Ministry of Defence, it is a certified EASA MET Service Provider for supporting Civil Aviation (ATHINAI FIR/ HELLAS UIR) and Maritime to METAREA III (Mediterranean and Black Seas) and its mission is to cover all the operational meteorological and climatological needs of the country.

Based at the former Athens International Airport at Hellinikon, HNMS operates under the auspices of the Hellenic Air Force, staffed by both military and civilian personnel.

Nathan Neal, Marketing Director at Biral, said: “We are absolutely delighted to work with our colleagues Microstep on this significant project. Many companies now recognise our weather sensors as being the most sensitive and accurate on the market, so we are pleased they have been chosen to play a significant role by the Hellenic National Meteorological Service.”