IAMAS SG Office is pleased to introduce the article from Italy.

Italian Meteorology suffered for many years from two major problems: lack of a NHMS (National Hydrological and Meteorological Service) and excessive fragmentation in many Institutional and private organizations. Also at Association level the Italian fragmentation was very high reflecting a “peculiar soul” of the Italian people resulting maybe it is a country that for centuries was a constellation of many little states.

Today meteorology needs, more and more, to follow common standards and be compact to face better: poor availability of funds and have authority from public institutions, decision maker and also from ordinary people. As an example, an Italian researcher that would like to know the annual precipitation distribution in Italy need to collect data from more than 10-15 different sources belonging to many different organizations.

If, at Institutional level, the situation is blocked from more than 3 decades (even if recently in the Stability law of 2018 is planned a new National Agency named “ItaliaMeteo” that would be reorganized the Italian Meteorology) at Association level a group of 10 local Meteorological Associations tries to collaborate together around at a table named UNI-MET.

In this manner, each Association preserves its own identity, but can speak at the National level with a single voice. UNI-MET has been active since 2016, they meet together once a year. Constant connection is everyday guaranteed thanks to a mailing-list and a system of chatline that allow every member to be in contact with each other (event though hundreds of kilometers away) creating a web of contacts (about 700 fellows).

Little projects are running, such as the printing of one “Historical Calendar of Italian Meteorological Events” where every Associations will participate remembering the important: Snowfalls, Tornados, Floods, etc. happened on their areas.

UNI-MET constantly works to bring together other Italian Meteorological Associations to become stronger and a more important voice in the Italian Meteorological landscape.

More info: www.uni-met.it

Massimo E. Ferrario

10 local Meteorological Associations in Italy