On April 1, Xiong'an National Climate Observatory was officially inaugurated in Xiong'an New Area in Hebei, China, which is China's 27th National Climate Observatory. Its basic meteorological observation data is transmitted in real time to the meteorological big data cloud platform "TianQing", enhancing climate monitoring and assessment, high-resolution forecasting and early warning capabilities, and industry-specific meteorological service support.

This year's theme of World Meteorological Day is "Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow". The national climate observatory is a national-level ground-based comprehensive observation station that conducts long-term, continuous, three-dimensional, and integrated observations of the climate system's multiple spheres and their interactions. It also serves as a platform for scientific research, open collaboration, and talent development in related fields. Xiong'an New Area is advancing the ecological environment management and protection of Baiyangdian Lake, urban safety operation, and the vigorous development of new sectors such as the low-altitude economy. It has created higher demands for high-precision, continuous, three-dimensional climate observation and detailed meteorological services.

The Observatory Photo: GUAN Zisheng

The Observatory features an operational layout of "one main station and eight auxiliary stations" (the main observatory station, and auxiliary stations in Rongcheng, Anxin, Dawang, Zhaili, Laohetou, Zangang, Maozhou, and the Dianqu wetland area), covering the New Area's urban-rural spatial layout of "one main city, five auxiliary groups, and multiple nodes," as well as four typical ecological zones: urban, forest, wetland, and farmland.

After its official operation, it will focus on areas such as ground-based baseline climate observation, basic meteorological observation, and surface-layer flux observation. Simultaneously, it will conduct scientific research in four key areas: integrated ground-space-air comprehensive observation research; adaptive observation experiments and research based on numerical weather prediction (NWP) needs; research on boundary layer structure, turbulence characteristics, and material-energy exchange over heterogeneous underlying surfaces; and research on the impact of rapid urbanization on weather, climate, and the ecological environment. This will provide more reliable observational support for climate resource analysis, climate change monitoring and assessment, and disaster risk identification.

In response to the development needs of the "city of the future", the meteorological department in Xiong'an New Area has in recent years advanced the construction of smart meteorology, establishing an "One Brain, Three Networks" system, which includes the meteorological brain, the basic meteorological observation network, the meteorological ubiquitous sensing network, and the meteorological Internet of Things. A ground-space-air integrated monitoring network has been built, comprehensively conducting observations such as ground-based baseline climate, surface-layer (water surface) flux, baseline radiation, ground-based remote sensing profiles, ecosystem, and atmospheric composition.

"We will deepen the application of observation data and forecast products in key industries, key areas, and key scenarios, and continuously enhance our capabilities in meteorological disaster risk monitoring and early warning, ecological meteorological support, and urban operation services," said GUO Yitao, Deputy Director of the Observatory.

Author: SHI Guanghao, LI Yue, and WANG Lei

Editor: JIANG Zhiqing