Operational Meteorology

• Issues warnings and weather forecasts for short and medium range, including:
o Forecasts and warnings for the general public through the media:

 Radio
 Television
 Newspapers

o Forecasts for marine operations.
• Forecasts for agriculture.
• Special forecasts tailored to the customers needs.
• Supervision over meteorological services for civil aviation and provision of basic aviation meteorological information. 

Research, Development and Application

• Adaptation of a regional high-resolution numerical model (based on the DWD model) and its application for weather prediction.

• Adaptation and application of a local numerical model for weather prediction in order to examine the influence of an urban area on local meteorology.

• Seasonal forecasting of precipitation in Israel for the months of December-February, using a dynamic-statistical prediction model.

• Development and operation of a meteorological Intermittent Control System (ICS) to control the emission of pollutants from large pollution sources, i.e. power plants and oil refineries.

• Development and application of an ultraviolet radiation (in the biological range-UVB) forecasting model for different areas of the country.

• Solar radiation research, assessment studies of available renewable energy resources in Israel: solar energy and wind power.

• Assessment of the impact of air pollution sources on the environment, and preparation of meteorological chapters of Environmental Impact Statements, ordered by various customers.

Climatology and Agricultural Meteorology Services

• Provides climate information and consultation services to government offices, standardization authorities, planning authorities, academic bodies, etc.

• Publication of regular climatic bulletins and surveys dealing with special weather events.

• Establishes and maintains a database of the country’s climatic data.
Meteorological observations reaching the Meteorological Service are compiled, controlled and stored for ongoing use, and for both the current and future generations.

• Conducts climatic research projects upon demand, such as:
o Probability of extreme wind events – serves as a basis for the Israeli National Standards requirements for wind loads on buildings, and is an important component in engineering planning.
o Rainfall intensity – information required for engineering projects, for construction, for agricultural development and for communications systems (distribution of rainfall intensities by rain amounts and durations, probability of unusual or extreme events).

• Climatic indices for heating and air conditioning – establishment of climatic indices for the planning of heating, cooling and ventilation systems in various facilities and structures for various regions of Israel. These indices are used to optimize utilization of the engineering systems, improve efficiency and save energy.

Agricultural Meteorology Section
 
• Provides relevant climatic information as well as consultation services to
• The agricultural community, using studies conducted on frost, evaporation, chilling portions, etc.
• Conducts research on the relation between weather and agriculture (crops and livestock).

Technological Infrastructure

Station Network and Engineering Services

• Establishes, operates and maintains the meteorological station network of the Meteorological Service
• Responsible for the, compliance with the international standards for meteorological observations and provides consultation on these matters.
• Operates calibration laboratories for meteorological instrumentation used by the Meteorological Service and others.

Information Systems
 
• Responsible for the routine operation of the IMS Computer Facility
• Responsible for the IMS communication, computerization and information infrastructure.
• Develops software applications related to most of the activities of the Meteorological Service.

Upper Air Observations

 Responsible for the routine operation of the IMS radiosonde system (provides meteorological information from the surface to the upper atmosphere), and the release of pilot balloons (for the measurement of the wind profile).

Administration and Budget

• Provides administrative services to the Director and the professional divisions of IMS,
 including activities like: human resources, budget, procurement and inventory.
• Responsible for the maintenance and operation of the Meteorological Service’s Visitors Centre.