HAWC Hackathon 2026

Transforming over a century of weather data into tools for the future

HAWC Hackathon 2026 – Registration Form

About the Hackathon

The HAWC Hackathon challenges participants to make creative, impactful use of one of the world’s most remarkable meteorological records. Since 1901, the University of Reading has collected near-continuous weather observations, first at its London Road campus and, since 1968, at the Atmospheric Observatory on the Whiteknights campus.

This living dataset is more than numbers – it’s a century-long story of our changing skies, measured daily, year after year. Manual observations have been made almost every day for over 100 years, thanks to the dedication of generations of observers. It is a fantastic and unique resource for exploring the past and building tools that help society adapt to the future.

https://research.reading.ac.uk/meteorology/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2016-07-27-1552z08-0006-Pano-e1516988824638.jpg

University of Reading’s Atmospheric Observatory

Hackathon Themes: 
1. Hyperlocal forecasting tools
Build tools that support smarter decision-making for communities, businesses and local authorities. Judges will be looking for interesting approaches to forecasting meteorological variables and innovative uses of the observatory’s data. 

2. Weather apps, webpages and visualisations
Make Reading’s weather history accessible, engaging and useful to the public. Judges will be looking for visually appealing outputs that tell a story, strong interactivity and a clear focus on weather and climate variables. 

3. Weather connects to everything
Link Reading’s unique weather record to data from other fields, such as energy demand, agriculture or human geography. Judges will be looking for interesting connections between weather data and non-weather data local to Reading, and a compelling data story that brings them together.

When and Where

The HAWC Hackathon will take place on 2nd and 3rd September, at University of Reading’s Whiteknights Campus.

  • Competition window: The 36-hour hacking period begins at 9:00am on 2nd September.

  • Presentations and awards: 1:30pm to 4:00pm on 3rd September.

Food and refreshments will be provided during networking lunch!

Why Participate?

This hackathon is about more than data exploration – it’s about turning meteorological history into real-world impact. With access to over a century of continuous observations, you’ll have the opportunity to:

  • Create tools that help communities prepare for weather and climate change.

  • Inspire awareness and engagement by presenting data in fresh, accessible ways.

  • Build prototypes that could shape research, education, and policy decisions.

Prizes

There will be prizes awarded for the most innovative, impactful, and creative projects.

More details will be announced soon!

Ownership of Work

Participants will retain full ownership of any code, designs, or ideas they create during the hackathon. However, in the spirit of collaboration and advancing scientific knowledge, we strongly encourage projects to be open-sourced. By sharing your work openly, you’ll be helping to build tools and insights that benefit not only this event, but the wider research and innovation community.

Please note: only open-source projects will be eligible for prizes.

Register Now

Register for the HAWC Hackathon here: HAWC Hackathon 2026 – Registration Form

Limited capacity, and operating on a first-come, first-serve basis!

Further details will be communicated closer to the event.