European Severe Storms Laboratory: Research and Weather Tracking

The European Severe Storms Laboratory (ESSL) is a scientific organization that conducts research on severe convective storms, tornadoes, intense precipitation events, and avalanches across Europe and the Mediterranean. It operates the European Severe Weather Database (ESWD).

History and Purpose

The laboratory began as an informal network of European scientists aiming to advance research on severe convective storms and extreme weather events on a continental scale. It was initiated in 2002 by Nikolai Dotzek and established as a non-profit organization with charitable status in 2006.

The statutory purposes of the ESSL include advancing research on severe convective storms across Europe, operating and extending the ESWD, and supporting or organizing the European Conferences on Severe Storms.

Projects and Research Facilities

European Severe Weather Database

The European Severe Weather Database (ESWD) collects and verifies reports on tornadoes, large hail, heavy rain, heavy snowfall, severe wind gusts, damaging lightning strikes, and avalanches across Europe and the Mediterranean. Each report undergoes quality control and is categorized by verification flags, ranging from received reports (QC0) to detailed scientific case studies (QC2).

European Weather Observer

The European Weather Observer (EWOB) project features a database containing real-time reports of severe weather and its impacts, populated by partner organizations and the EWOB mobile application. Weather forecasters use these observations to bridge data gaps between radar scans and surface measurements, helping them issue timely weather warnings.

ESSL Testbed

The ESSL Testbed is an annual event designed to enhance severe weather forecasting across Europe. It brings together forecasters and model developers in a quasi-operational setting to test new forecasting tools, exchange best practices, and prepare experimental severe weather forecasts.

European Conference on Severe Storms

The European Conference on Severe Storms (ECSS) is a biannual conference series organized by the ESSL since 2002. During the conference, awards such as the Heino-Tooming-Award and the Nikolai Dotzek Award are presented to recognize scientific contributions to severe storm research.