Issue 3 Met Office Magazine

barometer Issue 3 www.metoffice.gov.uk Met Office magazine TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF Britain’s first tea plantation WIND IN YOUR SAILS TV weatherman at sea BATTLING THE WEATHER Nelson’s famous victory 01 Welcome www.metoffice.gov.uk In brief 2 News and updates Forecasting for everyone Key environmental events 4 The force of Nature Turning over a new leaf 6 Quick and easy access to high quality forecasts and services from the Britain’s first tea plantation Met Office helps UK Government agencies, and those overseas, Our people 7 prepare for severe weather by taking appropriate mitigating action, TV weatherman at sea And now the weather... 9 says Mark Hutchinson, Acting Chief Executive. TV forecasts get a facelift All change 11 With a predicted colder-than-average weather broadcasts both informative winter expected, our forecasters are and entertaining. Weather creates challenges for working closely with the National Network Rail We mark the bicentenary of Admiral Health Service (NHS) and others to Lord Nelson’s death by exploring how look after those who are vulnerable in The pull of the Pole 13 the weather influenced the British cold weather. Targeted medical care British women tackle Polar Challenge victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. As the (from NHS) and Warm Front grants modern battlefield can cover A golden age 15 (from Defra), triggered by timely and thousands of kilometres of land, air, accurate forecasts from the Met Office, Science focus Satellite technology in sea and — increasingly — space, we forecasting are working to reduce winter deaths also report on how the Met Office is and further the Government’s aim to working with the Ministry of Defence Storm chaser 16 eradicate fuel poverty by 2018. to provide instant access to the Science profile Julian Heming — Throughout the winter, we will be Mark Hutchinson weather and environmental Tropical Prediction Scientist working closely with the Highways Acting Chief Executive information that the contemporary Agency and local authorities to help A drop in the ocean 17 military strategist needs. keep roads open and ‘UK Plc’ moving. Science focus Taking the seas’ The sheer power of weather had the Whatever the season, the Met Office As our customers’ expectations grow, temperature Gulf Coast reeling from the force of works alongside Network Rail to help it along with advances in technology, Celebrity weather 18 Hurricane Katrina in August and Rita tackle the complex problems posed by the Met Office will continue to Sir Chris Bonington in September. The Met Office worked ice, high winds and other extreme improve its forecast accuracy. This year closely with the National Hurricane events. Barometer looks at what is we have a more readily understood Barometer is a controlled circulation magazine Center in Miami, as well as the UK done, through this active partnership, accuracy target which measures our distributed free of charge to decision-makers in Foreign Office and Embassies, to warn to keep the railway network running next-day forecast for 11 UK cities. You government, science and commerce, for whom of this impending severe weather. The smoothly in all types of weather. can see how we are performing on our weather and climate information has an impact. science behind hurricanes is explored website. Product information is correct at the time of At the Met Office, we are passionate further in Key Environmental Events publication but may be subject to change. about using our skills in meteorology I hope that Barometer will give you a on page 4 and we introduce our For queries about Barometer contact in partnership with others to get the flavour of the many different ways in hurricane expert, Julian Heming, on Sancha Lancaster Met Office, FitzRoy Road, Exeter, right weather and climate information which the weather touches all our Devon, EX1 3PB, UK page 16. to the right people at the right time. lives. At the Met Office we are For any queries about Met Office products or This year’s Atlantic hurricane season Recent advances in technology — committed to using world-class services, contact us at our Customer Centre (24hrs): was one of the most active and widely including the internet and mobile science to predict the weather and Email: [email protected] reported, and has given new impetus devices — mean that people can now climate for maximum benefit to the T: 0870 900 0100 F: 0870 900 5050 to the debate on climate change. With expect accurate weather information nation and to supporting other From outside the UK: the increased likelihood of extreme at their fingertips. Research shows that countries in their response to severe T: +44 (0)1392 885680 F: +44 (0)1392 885681 www.metoffice.gov.uk weather events in future, the G8 television weather sits comfortably weather. nations have agreed to promote alongside these new media. Barometer © Crown copyright 2005 05/0273 Met Office and the Met Office logo are registered cleaner technologies to safeguard the looks back at its evolution — from trademarks climate. The Met Office is assisting by George Cowling’s first live broadcast in advising the UK Government on 1954 to the new-look weather forecasts Printed on Revive Matt Paper which contains 75% post-consumer waste paper. options for reducing greenhouse gas of the BBC and ITV — and at the emissions post-2012, when the Kyoto challenge of making television Cover image © Crown copyright Protocol has run its course. Space weather Space weather originates on the Sun. charged particles from the Sun, Activity on the surface of the Sun, moving along the Earth’s magnetic such as solar flares, can cause high field and colliding with gas atoms, levels of radiation in Space. As the causing the atoms to give off light. Sun sends light to Earth, it also blasts Events on the Sun and in the tiny pieces of matter (particles) in magnetosphere can also trigger our direction. This is the solar wind, changes in the electrical and which travels past Earth at more chemical properties of the than 1,000,000 mph, deflected by atmosphere, the ozone layer, and the Earth’s magnetic field. Auroras high-altitude temperatures and wind — the northern and southern lights patterns; and cause communication — are the one aspect of Space and science satellites to fail. weather that we can see. These happen as a result of electrically The number of satellites in Space has • The military — which was the first risen as major advances in science industry to use satellites — still relies and technology have been made, and heavily on data received from them in October these advances are • Search satellites help save lives by celebrated as part of World Space watching for emergency beacons Week. Set up in 1999 by the United What is out there? from boats and aeroplanes in distress Nations, World Space Week highlights the contribution that Space science • The telecommunications and media Did you know that there are around 8,000 artificial and technology makes to our industries use satellites to transmit objects orbiting Earth, 2,500 of which are satellites? understanding of the world we live in. signals around the world So when you are wishing upon a star you might actually Weather forecasting is just one of the • Remote-sensing satellites are used to many fields that has benefited from detect changes in the Earth’s surface be wishing on a piece of metal. advances in Space technology — from and the environment tracking hurricanes to pinpointing • Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are rain clouds. But satellites are also used used for navigation on Earth — i.e. in for a multitude of other reasons: your car or in an aeroplane 03 In brief www.metoffice.gov.uk Climate change Staying warm explained Keeping warm in the winter months is something everyone Climate change is always high on tries to do, and this winter people the political agenda — but never will need to do it more than ever, more so than this year when the as the Met Office is predicting that UK holds the Presidency of the G8 it will be colder than average. and the European Union. Both Since 1995–96, winters in the UK have highlighted the need to have been mild, giving many the improve public understanding of impression that this is now the climate change. A modern view norm. Even an average winter The Met Office has teamed up could come as a surprise to many. with the Royal Meteorological of the battlefield Being accurate The Met Office helps support the Society to commission a DVD that Government’s winter campaigns The modern battlefield can cover will provide the facts about climate With weather as variable as the UK’s, to protect lives during periods of thousands of kilometres of land, air, sea change. It is hoped that helping accurate forecasts from the Met Office cold weather by providing and — increasingly — space. But, as the people understand the complex are the first link in helping people be meteorological information, UK’s Armed Forces discovered this science that lies behind climate prepared. But as their expectations advice and forecasts via the summer, there is now a way to view the change will also help them make grow, the Met Office must keep up. Associate Parliamentary Warm entire battlefield using the Recognised informed choices about tackling The first step in producing accurate Homes Group. Environmental Picture (REP). the problems it raises. weather forecasts is using all available We also support the country’s Using a secure IT network, the REP gives Leader and chair of the project’s observational data and putting it infrastructure by working closely frontline military strategists a full scientific steering group, Professor together in a computer forecasting with emergency planners in a environmental picture of the terrain; Paul Hardaker (the Met Office’s model.

Load more