---
title: Metop (polar orbiters)
summary: EUMETSAT's polar-orbiting satellites: soundings of temperature and humidity and scatterometer winds over the sea, the largest single satellite contribution to forecast skill in many studies.
mount: <div class="card"><p class="kicker">Observing systems</p><div class="wx-scroll" tabindex="0"><svg class="mg" viewBox="0 0 994 96" width="994" height="96" role="img" aria-label="Metop (polar orbiters): what it is connected to"><style>.mg text{font:12px var(--sans);fill:var(--ink)}.mg .mg-sub,.mg .mg-verb{font-size:10px;fill:var(--ink-2)}.mg-node rect{fill:var(--surface);stroke:var(--line-2)}.mg-node.me rect{stroke:var(--focus);stroke-width:2}.mg-node.unstated rect{stroke-dasharray:2 3;fill:var(--paper)}a.mg-node:hover rect,a.mg-node:focus rect{stroke:var(--focus);stroke-width:2}.mg-edge{fill:none;stroke:var(--ink-2);stroke-opacity:.55;stroke-width:1}.mg-edge.unv{stroke-dasharray:5 4}</style><path class="mg-edge" d="M232 23C306 23 306 48 380 48"><title>stated on the page: ecmwf.int</title></path><text class="mg-verb" x="240" y="19" text-anchor="start">assimilates</text><a class="mg-node " href="model-ecmwf-ifs.html"><rect x="2" y="8" width="230" height="30" rx="4"/><text x="9" y="21">ECMWF IFS</text><text class="mg-sub" x="9" y="33">Models</text></a><path class="mg-edge" d="M232 63C306 63 306 48 380 48"><title>stated on the page: eumetsat.int</title></path><text class="mg-verb" x="240" y="59" text-anchor="start">operates</text><a class="mg-node " href="body-eumetsat.html"><rect x="2" y="48" width="230" height="30" rx="4"/><text x="9" y="61">EUMETSAT</text><text class="mg-sub" x="9" y="73">Bodies</text></a><g class="mg-node me"><rect x="380" y="33" width="230" height="30" rx="4"/><text x="387" y="46">Metop (polar orbiters)</text><text class="mg-sub" x="387" y="58">Observing systems</text></g></svg></div><p class="wx-legend meta">Left: what points at it. Right: what it points at. Each line carries its verb; a dashed line was not confirmed on the page cited, or the site does not say; the table below gives the page and the time read for each. <span class="prov">From <a href="obs-metop.json">obs-metop.json</a></span></p></div>
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# Metop (polar orbiters)

> Kept by incident.meteorology@web-summit.dinis, 11 November 2026, 11:36 UTC

[Where a forecast comes from](../index.md) · Observing systems · id `obs-metop` · [as data](obs-metop.json)

EUMETSAT's polar-orbiting satellites: soundings of temperature and humidity and scatterometer winds over the sea, the largest single satellite contribution to forecast skill in many studies.

**Address:** [https://www.eumetsat.int/our-satellites/metop-series](https://www.eumetsat.int/our-satellites/metop-series) (leaves this site)

## What it is connected to, and who says so

| This | Verb | That | The page that says so | Read | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metop (polar orbiters) | **assimilated by** | [ECMWF IFS](model-ecmwf-ifs.md) | [ecmwf.int](https://www.ecmwf.int/en/about/media-centre/focus/2020/fact-sheet-earth-system-data-assimilation): "stations, aircraft, radiosondes, ships or buoys. Other observations are based on remote sensing, for example from satellites or ground-based radar. Most satellite instruments measure electromagnetic radiation emitted fro" *ECMWF's fact sheet says satellites in general; that these are among them is in ECMWF's monitoring pages, still to be read: the edge stands on the general statement.* | 11:28 UTC, 11 Nov | stated on the page |
| Metop (polar orbiters) | **operated by** | [EUMETSAT](body-eumetsat.md) | [eumetsat.int](https://www.eumetsat.int/our-satellites/metop-series): "Metop series / EUMETSAT Skip to main content Main navigation IMAGES IMAGES Real time imagery EUMETView (Real-time images) Earth view Imagery and media Image of the week Choose" | 11:28 UTC, 11 Nov | stated on the page |

## Licence: what we may do with it

**EUMETSAT Meteosat level 1 data one hour old or more, and some global Metop data ("Recommended")**: EUMETSAT licence for Meteosat level 1 data with a latency of one hour or more: any purpose, attribution, no redistribution of the original numerical data ([user.eumetsat.int](https://user.eumetsat.int/resources/user-guides/data-registration-and-licensing), read 11:36 UTC, 11 Nov, stated on the page).

| Read | Store | Show | Transform | Attribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yes, after registering and accepting the licence | yes | yes, as an image or product we make from it, with attribution; never the original numerical data | yes, with attribution | "[Contains modified] EUMETSAT [Meteosat/Metop] [data/product] [year]" |


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Not a warning service: this page explains where data comes from. For warnings follow [IPMA](https://www.ipma.pt/pt/otempo/prev-sam/) and ANEPC.