When you check the national weather forecast, see a warning for heavy wind on the North Sea, or look up a climate graph for your town, there's a good chance the numbers come from a KNMI automatic weather station (AWS). MeteoA uses the same data provided by KNMI.
These stations quietly measure the atmosphere 24/7 from dozens of carefully chosen sites across the Netherlands and the Caribbean Netherlands. Every 10 minutes, they send in a fresh set of observations: temperature, wind, humidity, pressure, rain and more. Together, they form a dense, high‑quality network that underpins everything from aviation safety to climate research.
Where are the stations, and how many are there?
KNMI's AWS network covers land, coast and sea, plus the islands in the Caribbean Netherlands.
- There are around 48–51 automatic weather stations, wind masts and rain gauge installations.
- Land stations are spread across the country to represent the main climate regions and land‑use types.
- Aerodrome stations are located at major airports to support aviation meteorology.
- Offshore stations sit on North Sea platforms, providing vital data on marine weather and storms.
- Additional wind poles supplement wind measurements in key locations, for example along the coast.
- In the Caribbean Netherlands, KNMI operates automatic stations on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, capturing tropical conditions and supporting local services.
The network is part of the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS), which means each station has an international identifier and contributes to global weather and climate datasets.
What do KNMI's automatic weather stations measure?
A standard KNMI AWS is equipped with a suite of instruments mounted at standard heights on masts and in instrument shelters. In general the stations report, every 10 minutes:
- Air temperature — measured in a ventilated screen at a standard height (typically 1.5–2 m above ground).
- Relative humidity — co‑located with temperature to describe how much moisture is in the air.
- Wind speed and wind direction — measured at 10 m height using cup/prop anemometers and wind vanes or more modern sensors, with averages and gusts.
- Air pressure — sea‑level pressure for weather charts and pressure tendencies.
- Precipitation — rainfall amount over the last period (tipping‑bucket or weighing gauges).
- Visibility — often using optical sensors, important for aviation and fog warnings.
- Cloud cover and cloud base — at selected sites, ceilometers provide information on cloud amount and height.
Why this network matters
Because the AWS network covers both land and sea, including airports and offshore platforms, it captures the full variety of Dutch weather: sea breezes, frontal passages, fog banks, heatwaves and winter storms. Its consistent, standardised measurements — often spanning decades at the same sites — make it a cornerstone for:
- Forecasting and warnings (wind, storms, fog, heavy rain).
- Aviation and maritime operations.
- Water management by water boards and Rijkswaterstaat.
- Climate monitoring, including official climate normals and trend analyses.
MeteoA integrates KNMI data directly into the LoEco pipeline, blending official reference measurements with our own hyperlocal station network to provide both calibrated accuracy and the spatial resolution that national networks cannot deliver alone.