The operational development of China''s integrated meteorological observation system

Meteorological observation technology constitutes the foundational pillar of contemporary atmospheric science, which has propelled the development of the discipline and the advancement of related services. In the 1920s, during the initial formation period of modern meteorological science in China, the older generation of meteorologists put forward the purpose of the Meteorological Society, which is "to seek the progress of meteorological science and the development of meteorological observation undertakings". The meteorological observation system has achieved leap-forward development from rudimentary inception to automated operations, from surface to space and a relatively complete diversified observation system has been formed, covering surface observation, upper-air sounding, satellite remote sensing, and other aspects. The progress of science and technology has driven the continuous development of meteorological observation, significantly improving the accuracy and timeliness of weather forecasting. This article provides an overview of the development history, current status, and future development trends of the meteorological observation system from eight aspects, including surface observation, upper-air sounding, marine observation, space weather observation, weather radar, meteorological satellites, ground-based and air-based remote sensing systems. As an important innovative driving force for the development of meteorological observation technology, the research of atmospheric sounding methods, and the construction of the observing equipment system, meteorological observation field tests have played an important leading and technical supporting role in the upgrading of the observation system. Therefore this article also briefly introduces the situation of multi-source comprehensive observation and large-scale field tests in China. The meteorological observation system is not only the application of existing engineering technologies but also a branch of the discipline full of unknown scientific problems, technical challenges, and development in application fields. With the upgrading of observation technology and the application of sensors with higher precision and more advanced remote sensing equipment, the existing observation equipment needs to be continuously updated to maintain the forefront of technology and the accuracy of data. The meteorological observation system is developing towards intelligence, three-dimensionality, and globalization and frontier technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and quantum technology will play important roles in the future development of the meteorological observation system.