UK funds world’s most powerful weather and climate computer

The UK Government provided an £1.2 billion fund to develop a state-of-the-art “supercomputer” which will predict severe weather and the impacts of climate change fast and accurately and is said to be the world’s most advanced dedicated to weather and climate.

It is reported that the data from this computer will be used to accurately predict storms, opt for the most suitable locations for flood defences and predict changes to the global climate.

The computer, which will be managed by the Met Office, will also contribute to ensuring communities to be better prepared for weather disruption, including through:

1. more sophisticated rainfall predictions, helping the Environment Agency rapidly deploy mobile flood defences
2. better forecasting at airports so they can plan for potential disruption
3. more detailed information for the energy sector to help them mitigate against potential energy blackouts and surges
4. With the government announcing its Year of Climate Action, the news further demonstrates the UK is leading by example ahead of hosting UN climate conference COP26, where the world
5. will meet to agree more ambitious action.

The UK Government’s statement added that the Met Office is focusing at advancing its computer system. This has resulted to detailed weather predictions for the UK now taking place every hour instead of every 3 hours, providing crucial and timely updates when extreme weather is approaching.

For example, major storms such as Ciara and Dennis were forecast 5 days in advance.

Professor Penny Endersby, Met Office Chief Executive commented that

This investment will ultimately provide earlier, more accurate warning of severe weather, the information needed to build a more resilient world in a changing climate and help support the transition to a low carbon economy across the U.K.

In the meantime, the Government announced nearly £30 million in funding for five hydrogen projects this week as part of its transition to low carbon.

Recently, IMO and the World Meteorological Organization conducted their first joint Symposium on Extreme Maritime Weather, focusing on the challenging weather conditions and how they affect the shipping industry.