The RA VI (Europe) community is entering a strengthened phase in the implementation of the WMO Hydrological Status and Outlook System (HydroSOS), aimed at reinforcing regional collaboration, supporting operational knowledge exchange, and enabling more consistent delivery of hydrological status and outlook information across Members.
Recent developments include the publication of a HydroSOS Implementation Quick Reference Guide for RA VI Members, which provides practical, step-by-step orientation for Members engaging with HydroSOS implementation pathways, workflows, and operational considerations.
In parallel, a RA VI HydroSOS technical session is being organized to support hands-on understanding of the system, including its architecture, operational products, and implementation approaches.
As Europe continues to experience increasing water-related and compound hydro-climatic extremes, the need for consistent, actionable, and interoperable hydrological information is becoming more urgent. HydroSOS is being developed as a global operational framework to provide harmonized status and outlook information on hydrological conditions, while fully respecting national data sovereignty and existing operational systems.
Within RA VI, significant progress has already been achieved through national and transboundary pilots, integration with operational forecasting systems such as Delft-FEWS, and research-to-operations initiatives including OUTLAST. Building on this foundation, and supported by the new implementation guidance, the focus is now shifting toward scaling up implementation, improving consistency, and facilitating wider uptake across the region.
The newly released RA VI Quick Reference Guide provides Members with a structured entry point into HydroSOS implementation. It consolidates key concepts, outlines practical steps for engagement, and helps bridge the gap between conceptual understanding and operational deployment. Read more .
Together with ongoing technical exchanges, this resource is intended to support Members in navigating implementation options, strengthening institutional readiness, and aligning national systems with regional and global HydroSOS approaches.
The upcoming HydroSOS technical session for the RA VI community will provide an opportunity for Members to engage directly with the HydroSOS development team and the WMO Secretariat. The session will introduce core HydroSOS concepts, demonstrate the global architecture, and showcase operational products through live demonstrations of the HydroSOS platform. Read more.
This exchange is expected to further support alignment across national initiatives and enhance understanding of how HydroSOS can be integrated into existing hydrological forecasting and early warning workflows.
HydroSOS in RA VI is transitioning from pilot activities toward broader operational deployment. Countries and basin-scale initiatives across the region have already demonstrated the feasibility of generating consistent hydrological status and outlook products using national and shared systems.
The next phase will focus on expanding implementation to additional countries and basins, strengthening integration with Regional Climate Centres, and embedding HydroSOS outputs into services such as Climate Watch Advisories and Regional Climate Outlooks.
A key objective is to support Members in moving from conceptual understanding to sustained operational adoption, supported by clear guidance, technical exchange, and shared implementation experience.
This combined effort-linking new implementation guidance with structured technical engagement-represents an important step toward consolidating experience and accelerating HydroSOS implementation across RA VI.
More broadly, it contributes to strengthening hydrological early warning services, enhancing drought resilience, and supporting climate adaptation planning across Europe. It also supports global priorities such as Early Warnings for All and broader resilience-building efforts in a changing climate.
Through the integration of practical guidance, technical demonstration, and continuous knowledge exchange, RA VI continues to advance toward a more integrated and user-oriented hydrological information system-supporting Members in transforming hydrological data into actionable services.
