Monitoring, prediction and warnings
National Severe Weather Warning Service (NSWWS)
The NSWWS warns the community by providing warnings of severe or hazardous weather which could cause problems
The National Severe Weather Warning Service (NSWWS)
UK Coastal Monitoring and Forecasting (UKCMF) service
The Met Office provides advice on the effects weather may have on sea level and wave action. This is funded as part of the UKCMF by the Environment Agency to help them assess flood risk and allowing them to issue timely warnings of coastal flooding to those who may be impacted
Case study
How we worked with the Environment Agency on assessing the impacts of climate change on our coastline and the increased risks of flooding (click coastline tab).
The service:
- was set up after the east coast flooding disaster of 1953;
- operates a network of automated tide gauges for vital real-time data;
- is responsive and efficient with 24-hour coverage;
- provides a negative surge warning service for shipping.
UKCMF report
UKCMF is a collaboration of public bodies working together to provide a comprehensive Coastal Monitoring and Forecasting service for the UK. The UKCMF report (PDF, 3.12 MB) analyses the performance of the forecasting component of this service for the storm period 2008-09. Recommendations made in the report will be considered for future developments by the UKCMF management.
Partners in the UKCMF service
Radar network
The Met Office operates a weather radar network of 15 operational radars that, along with two radars owned by Irish met. service, Met Éireann and one radar owned by the Jersey Met Service, cover most of the British Isles.
In England and Wales eight of the 10 radars are owned jointly by the Met Office and the Environment Agency, the remaining two in England and Wales, four in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland are wholly owned by the Met Office. The network generates high resolution (down to 1 km) radar data which is fed into a range of models to give a detailed assessment of the impacts of rainfall and other severe weather events.
On-site forecasters
We can supply highly-skilled Met Office forecasters to work at other organisations’ locations to fully understand weather issues and provide bespoke solutions.
Our on-site consultant team provide the National Traffic Control (NTCC) and Highways Agency Regional Control Centres with advice on the likely impact of current and forecast weather up to 10 days in advance. Our consultants work as part of the Highways Agency team and are independent meteorologists supported by information from the Met Office.
We enable the Highways Agency to manage the Primary Trunk Road network and help them provide safer, event-free journeys and better informed drivers.
Fire Severity Index
We work with Natural England and the Countryside Council for Wales to help them prepare against fire threat with the Met Office Fire Severity Index. The index provides an assessment of the current day’s fire severity and a forecast of the fire severity over the coming five days.
The index values range from 1 to 5 and incorporates hourly observations such as wind speed, temperature, rainfall and time of year to produce an assessment. Weather information from the Met Office operational forecast model is used to produce forecasts.
For more information about our services for Government, please email us or contact our Customer Centre.
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