Météo

Météo is the term used in French to describe the weather and, more broadly, the practice of forecasting weather. It refers to the current state of the atmosphere at a given location and time, including variables such as temperature, humidity, wind, precipitation, cloud cover, and atmospheric pressure, as well as visibility and atmospheric phenomena like storms or fog.

Météorologie is the scientific field that studies the atmosphere and aims to understand and predict these phenomena. It relies on observations gathered by weather stations, radiosondes, radar, satellites, and ocean buoys, and uses computer models to produce forecasts.

Forecast products range from nowcasting, which covers minutes to a few hours ahead, to short-range forecasts (up to about 72 hours) and longer-range projections with increasing uncertainty. Modern forecasts are often probabilistic and provided as ensembles to indicate confidence levels.

Public weather information is provided by national meteorological services, such as Météo-France, and coordinated internationally by organizations like the World Meteorological Organization. Regional centers, such as the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, contribute to medium-range forecasts used worldwide.

Météo informs daily decisions in transport, agriculture, emergency management, and recreation, and plays a central role in climate monitoring and research. The term reflects both the practical dissemination of weather information and the scientific study underlying it.