Providing impact-based information to local authorities and first responders: From use-case identification to effective distribution

In Switzerland, local communities and cantonal authorities play a central role in making timely and effective decisions in response to severe weather events. Currently, the meteorological information they receive is limited primarily to physical indicators, such as precipitation amounts and associated warning levels. While this data is valuable, it does not always provide sufficient guidance for decision-making.

To better support local authorities and first responders, we explore the benefits of shifting towards more impact-oriented forecast information that aligns more closely with their operational needs. Introducing new inputs into an already functioning and well-coordinated system requires close collaboration with local stakeholders. To this end, we organized workshops with representatives from various authorities such as civil protection, fire fighters, and ambulance services in the cantons of Zurich and Ticino. These workshops were held as part of the European research project GOBEYOND. The main objective was to identify practical use cases that benefit from enhanced, impact-based warning information. Each identified use case should reflect three core aspects. First, it demonstrates that impact-oriented information adds value to the decision-making process compared to a pure weather forecast. Second, it clarifies the sources of information currently in use—typically a combination of hazard data, exposure, and vulnerability. Third, it specifies who the end users of the information are, what decisions they need to make, and what time window first responders require to take effective actions.

Based on these use cases, we aim to implement impact modeling chains and integrate them into the existing workflows at MeteoSwiss. To ensure close collaboration with our stakeholders, we will develop prototype applications that provide targeted, scenario-specific insights through consolidated visualizations. These prototypes are evaluated with stakeholders in an iterative process, allowing us to gather feedback and continuously refine our solutions. The final step is to distribute the outputs through two established channels: remote briefings conducted by forecasters and deployment on the Swiss national platform for natural hazards (GIN). Through this approach, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the last part of the warning chain and the needs of our local stakeholders. Ultimately, the project seeks to encourage a shift—from hazard-based to impact-based warnings—by demonstrating their added value in real-world applications.