Radar Platform

The new version of the Radar Platform, which displays and distributes Civil Protection meteorological radar data, has been live since January 12. With this update, the API services for data distribution have changed. Users are advised to update their systems according to the changes described at this link.

Radar-DPC is the platform of the Civil Protection Department that allows to see on a national scale both ongoing phenomena and phenomena recorded within 24 hours through the elaboration in real time of raw data from the national radar network, rain and temperature stations networks, satellite data and lightning network.

Together with the Department, the Regions take part in the production of these data through the Network of Functional Centers, the national Enav-Ente for flight assistance and the Italian Air Force.

On the map you can set up a basic product by choosing between:

▪ VMI (Vertical Maximum Intensity) and SRI (Surface Rainfall Intensity) to know where important phenomena are in progress. Data are updated every 5 minutes;
▪ Cumulate - SRT (Surface Rainfall Total), which represents the cumulative rainfall recorded in the last 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours by integrating radar network data with data from ground-based pluviometric stations. It is updated every 60 minutes;
▪ TEMP to view the temperature map recorded on the ground by ground thermometric station. It is updated every 60 minutes;
▪ Cloud Coverage MSG Infrared Channel to view cloud coverage detected through the processing of satellite data on the infrared channel. Updated every 5 minutes;

Depending on the product chosen, the legend on the map changes.

The user can superimpose other information on the set product, choosing between:

▪ Cloud coverage – MSG Infrared Channel
▪ DPC - HRD (Heavy Rain Detection), which can be seen by setting as a basic product the VMI or the SRI. It identifies where important phenomena, classified according to a Severity Index, occur and displays their possible trajectory in the very short term. It is updated every 5 minutes;

By default, Lightning (LTG) is displayed, showing a lightning map that updates every 10 minutes. Additionally, the Radar Status feature allows you to check the locations of the devices and confirm whether they are all functioning properly.

To disable or re-enable this display, simply click on the corresponding buttons.

Among the features available on this platform, it is possible to:

▪ search for a specific address within the country;
▪ download data relating to the selected base product;
▪ view animations of images captured over a 3-hour period;
▪ use the “history” mode to view past data. It is possible to go back a maximum of 14 days.

This link provides documents about the platform and viewable products, including instructions on how to download them using REST API services.

The products and content offered by the Radar Platform are available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC-BY-SA) license. This means they can be copied, distributed, modified, and used for commercial purposes, as long as the source, Radar-DPC, is properly credited and any derivative works are also shared under the same CC-BY-SA license.

Please note that a complex project to modernize the national weather radar network is currently underway as part of the PNRR M2C4I1.1 investment, titled “Implementation of an advanced and integrated monitoring and forecasting system.” This project is expected to be completed by June 2026. During this period, the radar measurements that are being gradually upgraded will be unavailable. As a result, observation capacity will be reduced in some areas of Italy until the operations are completed.