The strategic landscape for meteorology is changing fast. 

The climate is changing. The demands on meteorological services is  growing. The communication of our scientific information, increasingly including warnings for unseen risks, is more important than ever, including the link between current weather and observed and projected climate trends. 

This also means partnerships are more important, to guide users on the impact of meteorological phenomena, and turn early warnings — across timescales -- into early actions.

At the same time, our own technology is changing. The combination of classical numerical  prediction and new AI/ML models is opening up new opportunities, but also creating new challenges.

All of these rapid developments -- in science, in applied meteorology, and in European and global policy contexts — require evolution in our scientific identity as well as European meteorological institutions and collaborations.

How to cite: van Aalst, M.: The strategic landscape for meteorology, EMS Annual Meeting 2026, Utrecht, Netherlands, 6–11 Sep 2026, EMS2026-833, https://doi.org/10.5194/ems2026-833, 2026.