Europe's newest weather satellite has sent back its first images, giving forecasters a preview of a service that will watch the continent's weather every two and a half minutes.

The European Space Agency released the first images from the Meteosat Third Generation mission's second Imager satellite, known as MTG-I2, on 6 November. The images show weather patterns over Europe and Africa, captured from geostationary orbit some 36,000 kilometres above the Earth.

When fully operational, MTG-I2 will use its Flexible Combined Imager in rapid scan mode, providing data over Europe and North Africa every 2.5 minutes. The European Space Agency described the short repeat cycle as a game-changer for weather forecasting, enabling meteorologists to monitor the rapid development and evolution of weather systems in unprecedented detail and to predict severe weather earlier.

The first full-disc image was captured on 20 October at 10:45 UTC, just over two months after the satellite's launch on 27 August 2026. It shows intricate cloud formations stretching across the North Atlantic, contrasting with largely clear skies over the Sahara. An accompanying animation, built from observations taken every 2.5 minutes over a 45-hour period starting on 3 November, reveals fog and low clouds lingering over central Europe, deep convective clouds developing over the Mediterranean, and clouds at different altitudes moving in opposite directions over the Atlantic. A smoke plume from a wildfire in central Portugal is also visible on 3 November.

"This first image, and the animation, is a milestone for EUMETSAT and for our Member States," EUMETSAT Director-General Phil Evans said. "Just two months after launch, MTG-I2 shows us what rapid scanning will make possible: a much timelier view of fast-developing weather over Europe. As extreme events become more frequent and intense, forecasters and emergency services will be able to see hazards evolve more precisely and act sooner."

The satellite is still undergoing calibration and validation, and operational service is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2027. It was handed over to EUMETSAT's Mission Control Centre on 9 September, after the successful completion of its launch and early orbit phase. MTG-I2 is operated by EUMETSAT from its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, and was developed by the European Space Agency through Thales Alenia Space, fulfilling requirements set by EUMETSAT in consultation with the meteorological services of its member states.

MTG-I2 flies in geostationary orbit, following the same point on the Earth's surface as it rotates. It carries two imaging instruments, and its Flexible Combined Imager complements the instrument on the first MTG Imager, which delivers an image of a full Earth hemisphere every 10 minutes. The launch of MTG-I2 completed the first family of three MTG satellites, providing continuity and operational resilience for the mission. From 2033, a second family of MTG satellites will be launched in sequence to extend the mission beyond 2040.

The rapid scan service is expected to help forecasters follow the development of severe weather much more closely, which is especially valuable for fast-developing storms that can bring heavy rainfall, hail, strong winds and flash floods. Timelier observations will also support earlier, more precise warnings and help emergency response during extreme events, including wildfires. Beyond forecasting, the instrument provides valuable data for monitoring and understanding the climate, as well as information for hydrology, agriculture, environmental studies, risk prevention and disaster warnings.