Modernization of the distribution of climate information in Austria

As a national weather and climate service, GeoSphere Austria is responsible for the creation and dissemination of data-driven, factual, and unbiased climate information. The GeoSphere Austria website hosts different types of climate-related content: (a) interactive mapping tools for the visualization of gridded climate variables; (b) homogenized long-term station observations for the Alpine region; (c) graphics that display current observations in historical context; (d) information on extreme events and their impact; (e) tools for the download of a variety of climate datasets such as time series, spatial variables, climate normals, and others; (f) an extensive collection of regularly updated articles on climate change and its impact in Austria; (g) climate information on topics such as phenology and others. 

In an environment of increasing dis- and misinformation, easy access to accurate climate information is crucial for decisionmakers, the general public, and other stakeholders. Therefore, at GeoSphere Austria an effort is underway to modernize not only the look and feel of the climate web pages but also the underlying architecture and how users access information and interact with the content. By integrating the currently scattered topics into one state-of-the-art climate information center, we aim to create a one-stop-shop for accurate climate content in Austria. In this presentation, we will give an overview of the project, the timeline, and lessons learned throughout the process.