GOOD NEWS: UK’s Weather Supercomputer
Andreas Klippe Comments March 20, 2020
We check out another piece of good news. Amidst worldwide disarray brought on by COVID-19, there’s still time to be had for positivity. We hear about good news from the United Kingdom and the more than a billion pounds they plan to spend for a weather supercomputer. The effort to build it is part of the UK government and the British Monarchy’s dedication to a decade of climate action. Let’s hear some good news for a change!
Straight Out of Science Fiction
The UK government has decided to invest £1.2 billion on a supercomputer expected to become the world’s most advanced in terms of weather and climate. Under the supervision of the Met Office, the UK’s meteorological agency, the supercomputer will be used to provide more sophisticated forecasts.
Its ability to issue more accurate storm predictions will help select the most suitable locations for flood protection and predict changes to the global climate. Better weather forecasting will also help airports to plan for potential disruption and provide the UK Department of Energy with more detailed information to prevent potential energy outages and surges.
The computer was a multi-agency effort supported by investments from multiple universities and computer companies. The Met Office welcomed the upgrade. Advanced tools for weather forecasting have been useful for the UK, the issued alerts helped local councils and emergency services to prepare especially during the past storm like Ciara or the 2018 Beast from the East.
Not Just for the UK
Advanced technologies for meteorological services not only help the UK, but nearby countries as well and help create simulations and models for climate change situations. In the long run, these provide more data for scientists to work on and help deepen our understanding of the Earth’s weather system.
Hopefully, this will prompt other first world countries to advance and invest in technologies concerned with climate. Systems like the UK Met supercomputer do not only serve forecasting machines but also to help prepare for intense weather.
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