What is European Severe Storms Laboratory?
The '''European Severe Storms Laboratory''' ('''ESSL''') is a scientific organisation that conducts research on severe convective storms, tornadoes, intense [[precipitation]] events, and avalanches across [[Europe]] and the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]]. It operates the widely cited European Severe Weather Database (ESWD). ESSL is also responsible for leading the creation of the [[International Fujita scale]] in 2018 to replace the [[Fujita scale]]. == History and purpose of the ESSL == The European Severe Storms Laboratory started as an informal network of European scientists with the goal to advance research on severe [[convective storm]]s and [[extreme weather]] events on a European level. It was initiated in 2002 by Nikolai Dotzek and became a [[Nonprofit organization|non-profit organization]] with [[charitable organization|charitable status]] in 2006.<ref>{{cite journal |id={{INIST|21805181}} |doi=10.1016/j.atmosres.2008.10.020 |title=Overview of ESSL's severe convective storms research using the European Severe Weather Database ESWD |year=2009 |last1=Dotzek |first1=Nikolai |last2=Groenemeijer |first2=Pieter |last3=Feuerstein |first3=Bernold |last4=Holzer |first4=Alois M. |journal=Atmospheric Research |volume=93 |issue=1–3 |pages=575–86 |bibcode = 2009AtmRe..93..575D |url=https://elib.dlr.de/59712/1/dotz.pdf }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=NSSL Provides Model for New European Severe Storms Lab |url=http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/news/hotitems/2007/07_apr16.php |publisher=[[NOAA]] |accessdate=2009-10-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507141423/http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/news/hotitems/2007/07_apr16.php |archive-date=May 7, 2009 }}</ref> The ESSL focuses on research questions concerning convective storms and other extreme weather phenomena which can be treated more efficiently on a pan-European scale.<ref>{{cite web |title=European Severe Storms Laboratory |url=http://www.essl.org/publicaffairs/pdf/ESSL-flyer-2009.pdf |publisher=European Severe Storms Labor