Evaluating weather and climate information services for heat and drought adaptation in Southeast Europe: gaps, opportunities and design principles

• Assessed Weather & Climate Information Services (WCIS) for heat and drought adaptation in Southeast Europe. • Identified key design and communication gaps hindering WCIS effectiveness. • Applied mixed-methods: literature review, surveys, and interviews. • Proposed design principles to improve WCIS usability and trust. • Highlighted need for sector-specific, user-friendly WCIS for adaptation. Although many Weather and Climate Information Services are available in Southeast Europe, their contribution to enhancing long-term climate resilience remains unclear. This study evaluates the role of WCIS in supporting climate change adaptation in SEE with regard to extreme heat and drought events, and identifies key gaps. In this study, heat and drought refer to perceived conditions of elevated temperature and prolonged precipitation deficit as understood by stakeholders, rather strictly defined meteorological thresholds. The analysis draws on a mixed-methods approach combining bibliometric and market analysis, surveys, and semi-structured interviews, with results reflecting predominantly qualitative, perception-based insights. Findings highlight persistent challenges in WCIS user engagement, stemming from gaps in design and communication. Many services in SEE adopt top-down approaches with limited user involvement and inadequate educational support. Strengthening participation and promoting transparency in information dissemination are crucial. Tailoring WCIS to specific sectors, such as agriculture, public health, and water management, can help ensure relevance to local needs. Technical challenges remain regarding reliability, trustworthiness and performance of WCIS related to heat- and drought-related impacts. The study concludes with five key recommendations: 1) improve cross-scale engagement, 2) ensure transparency, 3) address sector-specific needs, 4) enhance user-friendliness, and 5) increase reliability and trust.