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Observatoire Français des Tornades et des Orages Violents | |
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Named after | Κεραυνός (Greek word for thunderbolt) |
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Established | 2006 ![]() |
Founders | Pierre Mahieu, Emmanuel Wesolek |
Legal status | société par actions simplifiée ![]() |
Focus | Meteorology |
Headquarters | Wattignies ![]() |
Country | France ![]() |
Official Languages | French language ![]() |
Website | keraunos |
Keraunos, (sometimes written as KERAUNOS, in all caps) or the Tornadoes and Severe Storms French Observatory, [1] is a French meteorological organization specializing in severe weather. It operates a free website that allows the public to access a considerable amount of information on these climatic phenomena thanks to real-time data, analytical articles, etc. It is also a consultancy firm that sells its expertise to companies and institutions that need forecasts or more detailed information.
The company was founded in 2006 by two self-taught meteorologists, Pierre Mahieu and Emmanuel Wesolek, who felt that France lacked an organization specializing in the detection and study of thunderstorms. [2] The owners of the Keraunos research office use the North American method of approaching this subject and have already published several articles in world-renowned meteorology journals. [3] Keraunos became a simplified joint-stock company on September 6, 2010. [4]
Keraunos employs multidisciplinary experts, some with over 20 years of experience, in meteorology, climatology, hydrology, and risk management. Its activities include weather forecasting, weather warnings, and expertise for hail, tornadoes, lightning, severe gusts, and torrential rains. [2] [3]
Keraunos provides the general public with free, high-quality information on storm events affecting the population, as well as a range of paid services for businesses and communities. Keraunos consultants frequently provide media input on both weather news and scientific documentaries on the subject. [3] [5] [6]
Keraunos has its own autonomous forecasting center, specialized in the field of violent phenomena. It runs numerical weather prediction models at variable resolutions, up to 0.9 km, over France. Some models are deterministic and others probabilistic to increase the reliability of forecasts. [3]
The free website offers: [2] [7]
The services provided for a fee are tailored to meet each need in three areas: [2] [8]
Keraunos experts participate in various international conferences on severe thunderstorms. The organization also organizes seminars for enthusiasts, researchers, professionals, and storm chasers. [7] Some publications by KERAUNOS members are: