Remko Uijlenhoet showcased PHARA’s groundbreaking potential at the ICUC12 conference in Rotterdam. The 12th International Conference on Urban Climate, held July 7-11 at the World Trade Centre Rotterdam, brought together over 900 researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from around the globe. This event, convened by the ITC-led 4TU-HERITAGE Consortium, featured more than 50 thematic academic sessions and keynote lectures from distinguished experts, addressing the dynamic interplay between urban environments and climate challenges.

PHARA’s poster presentation highlighted how this novel phased-array radar technology will address growing extreme weather challenges in metropolitan areas. The rapidly scanning Ku-band radar with polarization diversity will bridge the gap between operational weather radars and research cloud profilers, offering unprecedented cloud tracking capabilities. Built on a transportable platform, PHARA will supplement the Ruisdael Observatory’s facilities while serving multiple research communities.

The conference focused on the theme “Heritage as an Urban Climate Challenge,” exploring how climatic factors impact urban environments and influence urban climate resilience. This aligned well with PHARA’s mission to enhance early warning systems and support next-generation weather forecasting capabilities.