ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WeatherBug®, the leading provider of consumer and professional weather services and operator of the largest weather observing network, announced today its formation of strategic partnerships with both The Republic Group and Kattron to expand its global development.

The Environmental Systems Division of The Republic Group manages international marketing and sales initiatives for a spectrum of world-leading providers of hydro-met remote sensing and data collection, analysis, nowcasting and forecasting technologies which are utilized for operational hydro-meteorological and aviation applications. WeatherBug has partnered with The Republic Group to identify global weather initiatives and enable international organizations to seamlessly implement WeatherBug lightning location and mesonet networks. WeatherBug and The Republic Group are partnering to commercialize WeatherBug Total Lightning Network^TM systems and surface weather observing networks in a variety of geographies around the world. This will continue to expand the WeatherBug global footprint as the operator of the world’s largest network of weather stations. With its proprietary network technology, WeatherBug has the capability to deploy networks for highly dense, accurate and timely weather observations and lightning detection around the world in a very cost effective and efficient manner.

Kattron is a pioneer lightning data service provider, commencing in Australia in 1990, and currently operates a lightning network primarily in New South Wales. WeatherBug has partnered with Kattron to rapidly expand and enhance this network to the rest of the country, starting with a dense network in the Brisbane area. WeatherBug surface weather stations are also planned for installation to provide improved real-time, local weather information for the area. The hot, dry Australian summer weather contributes to the frequency and severity of bushfires across the continent. Lightning detection is extremely important for Australian citizens and public safety officials for every year bushfires caused by lightning strikes result in significant property damage and loss of life. Drought conditions and bushfires also widely affect industry including agriculture, farming, transportation and energy. More accurate lightning data, denser surface weather observations and better advanced warnings of severe weather will enable better preparation and response for weather related threats. The initial deployment will consist of 13 sensors in the Queensland area. Weather and lightning data will be made available to a variety of users including rural fire services, energy companies, mining operations and local governments. Ultimately, the WeatherBug – Kattron partnership will yield a national surface weather observing and lightning detection capability in Australia that will provide unparalleled weather intelligence for a wide variety of users.

Editor’s Note: This announcement was issued at the American Meteorological Society 90^th Annual Meeting held in Atlanta, Georgia on January 17-21, 2010. More information on the global expansion and the latest products from WeatherBug can be viewed in booth #514.

About WeatherBug

WeatherBug (http://www.weatherbug.com and http://www.weatherbugprofessional.com) precisely monitors, organizes and disseminates global weather information. As a trusted source for live, local dynamic data, WeatherBug empowers society with weather intelligence for making more informed decisions. Millions of consumers and professional organizations, including the National Weather Service, rely on WeatherBug to plan daily activities, safeguard lives and improve business operations. WeatherBug is a brand of AWS Convergence Technologies, Inc. (http://www.aws.com).