Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research & Operations

What Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research & Operations does

CIWRO (Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research & Operations) is a university-affiliated cooperative research institute headquartered at the University of Oklahoma's National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Established in 1975, the institute operates as a formal partnership between the University of Oklahoma, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and a consortium of academic institutions. CIWRO's mission is to advance severe and high-impact weather research and to translate that research into operational forecast products that protect life and property. The institute serves a tightly defined federal customer base — primarily the National Weather Service, NOAA, and emergency management officials — with downstream public benefit for communities affected by severe weather.

CIWRO's research portfolio spans six interconnected service areas: Weather Radar and Observations (operating dual-polarization and phased array radar in stationary and mobile configurations); Mesoscale and Stormscale Modeling (theoretical and simulation-based process studies supporting short-term probabilistic forecasts); Forecast Applications Improvements (integration of research outputs into decision-support tools for NWS forecasters); Subseasonal-to-Seasonal Prediction for Extreme Weather (weeks-to-months-ahead anomaly forecasting); Social and Socio-Economic Impacts of Weather Research (behavioral and communication science applied to forecast messaging); and the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) system, an operational product integrating multiple radar and sensor data sources that has been continuously improved for over a decade. Recent platform additions include the CopterSonde-3D uncrewed aerial system for atmospheric observation and operational deployment of phased array radar for tornado warnings.

The institute's business model is grant-funded research rather than commercial product sales. Revenue flows through NOAA cooperative agreements supplemented by competitive grants from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. The institute employs over 200 researchers, support personnel, and students (noting a discrepancy with the firmographic headcount figure of 68, which likely reflects a narrower core-employee definition). CIWRO does not operate a commercial pricing model; its outputs are delivered to federal agencies through the research-to-operations pipeline and disseminated to the broader meteorological community through peer-reviewed publications, scientific conferences, and field campaigns. Distribution is effectively direct to federal agency partners, with global brand visibility through academic channels and AMS engagement.

Name

Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research & Operations

Legal name

Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations

Website

https://ciwro.ou.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CIWRO is a University of Oklahoma-based cooperative research institute partnering with NOAA and consortium institutions to advance severe weather research and translate it into operational forecasts for the National Weather Service, emergency managers, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Norman

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Federal Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements: Primary funding through cooperative agreements with NOAA and grants from federal agencies including NSF and Department of Energy. Research funding supports atmospheric science, radar development, and forecast improvement initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CIWRO is a cooperative research institute that conducts severe and high-impact weather research and translates scientific discoveries into operational forecast improvements. The institute develops and operates weather radar facilities (dual polarization and phased array radar), performs mesoscale and stormscale atmospheric modeling, builds decision-support tools for the National Weather Service, advances subseasonal-to-seasonal prediction capabilities, and conducts social science research on public response to weather forecasts. Research outputs are delivered to NOAA and NWS for operational implementation.

Product overview

CIWRO is a research institute that serves as a cooperative partnership between the University of Oklahoma, NOAA, and consortium institutions. Rather than a single commercial product, CIWRO operates as a portfolio of interconnected research services including: Weather Radar and Observations (supporting dual polarization and phased array radar technology), Mesoscale & Stormscale Modeling, Forecast Applications Improvements for the National Weather Service, Subseasonal-to-Seasonal Prediction for Extreme Weather, and Social & Socio-Economic Impacts of Weather Research. The MRMS (Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor) System represents their primary operational product used in weather forecasting. These research services are designed to work together to transform scientific understanding into life-saving forecasts that reduce the impacts of extreme weather on communities and ecosystems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weather Radar and Observations Development, update, maintenance, and operation of weather radar facilities; conducting and analyzing field campaigns supporting NOAA's research and development. Includes dual polarization and phased array radar technology in stationary and mobile configurations to capture severe weather morphology and dynamics. For NOAA and NWS operational weather forecasting.
• Mesoscale & Stormscale Modeling Process studies and critical analysis of hazardous weather formation. Supports NOAA's goal of short-term probabilistic forecasts through theoretical and modeling studies simulating electrification, lightning, cloud microphysical, boundary layer, convective, mesoscale, and dynamic processes. For NOAA and NWS operational forecast improvement.
• Forecast Applications Improvements Integration of research results into decision-support tools and forecasting techniques for the National Weather Service, providing usable output for forecasters, decision makers, emergency planners, and the public during hazardous weather events.
• Subseasonal-to-Seasonal (S2S) Prediction for Extreme Weather Prediction of weather anomalies extending from a few weeks to several months ahead. Examines connections between monthly temperature and precipitation anomalies and severe weather outbreaks to anticipate disruptive events requiring resource deployment, food and water security provision, and tactical planning.
• Social & Socio-Economic Impacts of Weather Research Social, behavioral, and economic sciences research related to public response to weather forecasts and hazardous weather information. Multi-disciplinary approach involving social scientists, meteorologists, emergency managers, and communication practitioners to enhance messaging of forecast uncertainty.
• Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) System Advanced weather forecasting system that integrates data from multiple radar sensors. CIWRO supports the ongoing innovation and improvement of this system for operational weather prediction by the National Weather Service.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over a decade of innovation with MRMS weather forecasting system
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary federal partner through cooperative agreement. CIWRO bridges partnerships between OU, NOAA, and consortium institutions to transform scientific understanding into operational products. The institute supports NOAA's world-class research and development goals, including radar facilities and forecast improvements.
• University of OklahomacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution providing academic infrastructure, faculty, and students. The institute operates as a cooperative institute within OU's research framework, with headquarters at the National Weather Center.
• Consortium InstitutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple academic and research institutions participating in the cooperative institute arrangement alongside OU and NOAA for collaborative weather research.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR): NSF-funded national center operating a broad portfolio of atmospheric and weather research, modeling, and observational programs. Highly comparable to CIWRO in scope (severe weather, modeling, community tool development) and federal funding model, though not a cooperative institute.
• National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL): NOAA laboratory physically co-located with CIWRO at the National Weather Center in Norman, OK. Direct peer in severe weather research, radar development (including phased array), and forecast applications — CIWRO's primary in-house federal collaborator.
• Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA): Colorado State University-based NOAA cooperative institute focused on atmospheric science research, satellite applications, and weather prediction. Directly comparable as a NOAA cooperative institute supporting research-to-operations translation.
• Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS): University of Wisconsin–Madison NOAA cooperative institute for satellite meteorology and atmospheric science research. Comparable governance and NOAA-aligned mission structure, with emphasis on satellite and remote sensing rather than radar.
• Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES): University of Colorado Boulder NOAA cooperative institute conducting environmental and atmospheric research. Comparable cooperative institute model and NOAA partnership structure, broader environmental science scope.

Broad incumbents

• European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF): Intergovernmental operational weather forecasting and research center. Comparable forecasting and modeling expertise, with a global operational mandate distinct from CIWRO's U.S.-focused research-to-operations role.
• NOAA Earth System Research Laboratories (ESRL): NOAA's premier Earth system science research arm covering atmospheric chemistry, climate, and weather. Directly comparable atmospheric research mission with broader Earth system scope and direct federal operation.
• NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL): Federal research laboratory within NOAA developing weather and climate models. Comparable modeling expertise and NOAA alignment; operates as an internal federal lab rather than a cooperative institute.

Emerging players

• Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science (University of Miami): University research unit with atmospheric and hurricane research programs. Comparable severe weather research scope, with a stronger tropical cyclone focus and academic rather than cooperative-institute structure.
• Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER): Private-sector atmospheric and environmental research consultancy serving government and commercial clients. Comparable atmospheric modeling and weather risk expertise, with a commercial funding model distinct from CIWRO's cooperative institute structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ciwro

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research & Operations