French meteorologist Dr Florence Rabier, former director of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), is being awarded WMO’s top honor, the IMO Prize, for her pioneering role in advancing numerical weather prediction and helping transform scientific advances into operational services for society.
The IMO Prize, which is named after the International Meteorological Organization (WMO’s predecessor), recognizes exceptional contributions to meteorology, hydrology and international cooperation and is widely regarded as the field’s equivalent of a Nobel Prize.
Dr Rabier’s work on the assimilation of satellite data marked a turning point in the quality of global forecasts by significantly reducing the differences between hemispheres.
As director of ECMWF from 2016 to the end of 2025, Dr Rabier spearheaded major strategic expansion and structural transformations, including the integration of artificial intelligence into forecasting systems and the transition to an open data model on a global scale.
Under her leadership, ECMWF strengthened its ties with its member states and international partners and consolidated its position as a global reference in weather forecasting.
She has also reinforced ECMWF’s role as a scientific pillar of key European programs, in particular Copernicus, and initiated its involvement in structuring projects such as Destination Earth (digital twin of the Earth) and SEWA (early warning systems in Africa).
She led a major transformation by introducing an open data policy at ECMWF, while strengthening privileged access for national meteorological services. This policy has increased global use of data, supported operational services and fostered innovation. It is part of the implementation of the WMO Unified Data Policy.
Technological innovation
Dr Rabier spearheaded the large-scale introduction of artificial intelligence in weather forecasting, as a complement to physical models, in close collaboration with member states. This evolution has been a paradigm shift, enabling significant gains in accuracy, a reduction in computational costs and a wider dissemination of forecasting capabilities.
The ERA5 reanalysis, developed at ECMWF and disseminated via Copernicus, has established itself as a global reference and an essential foundation for the development of AI approaches.
Strengthening the global observing system
Dr Rabier played a key role in optimizing the use of meteorological observations through her collaboration with EUMETSAT and the European Space Agency and her chairmanship of the Scientific Committee for Earth Observation as well as her involvement in the Systematic Observations Financing Facility initiative. These actions have helped to improve the coverage and impact of observations, especially in the most vulnerable regions.
She also coordinated an observation campaign in Antarctica as part of the International Polar Year and the THORPEX program.
Supporting diversity
Dr Rabier has been long committed to supporting greater participation of women in science, participating in international awareness initiatives and developing mentoring actions at ECMWF.
She has accompanied many young scientists from diverse backgrounds, helping to renew and enrich the meteorological community.
Since her retirement from ECMWF, Dr Rabier has become a non-executive director of the UK’s Met Office. Prior to her career with ECMWF, she was head of research at Meteo-France.
She is the recipient of numerous scientific awards, has authored dozens of scientific publications, and has contributed to the visibility and understanding of meteorology through many media and outreach activities.
Dr Rabier will collect the IMO prize award and deliver a lecture during the World Meteorological Congress in 2027.
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