Barometer Magazine issue 35 | www.metoffice.gov.uk improvements to the seasonal forecast system and the new UK Climate Projections (UKCP18) which come out next year. I also refocused the climate science programme Professor Stephen onto both science and services, and substantially increased Belcher, Met Office Chief our international work, for example through the Climate Scientist, describes his Science for Service Partnership China (CSSP China). passion for his new role Capitalising on the new supercomputer and work addressing the Our new supercomputer was delivered ahead of schedule challenges of big data which has meant that many of the latest science upgrades and climate change. are now going operational and are helping to improve our forecasts (page 19). Leading science A new supercomputer also means huge volumes of data. July 2017 Now, data is one thing, but information is another, so we are Barometer is a controlled circulation magazine looking at intelligent ways of creating useful information distributed free of charge to decision-makers in to services government, science and commerce, for whom and extracting value from that data (page 4). That is where weather and climate information has an impact. the science to service aspect comes in. Improvements to Product information is correct at the time of eing Chief Scientist at the Met Office is a wonderful our weather and climate models will enable development publication but may be subject to change. job because of the broad range of science done of better services, particularly relevant in our support of the For queries about Barometer contact: in the Met Office, as well as the world-leading scientists Government’s emerging Industrial Strategy (page 7) and in Jon Stanford who produce it. We are unique as we not only produce supporting our humanitarian work (page 15). Met Office, FitzRoy Road, fundamental science, but also use science to deliver Exeter, Devon, EX1 3PB, UK Communicating the value of our science highly successful weather and climate services to our It is important that we communicate the value of the For any queries about Met Office products or customers. So, I was delighted to take on the role services, contact our Customer Centre (24 hrs): science that we produce, and the new Met Office science following the retirement of Dame Professor [email protected] twitter feed is a great way for people to follow our research Julia Slingo at the end of last year. Tel: 0370 900 0100 across foundation, weather, climate and applied science. Fax: 0370 900 5050 As Chief Scientist, my responsibility is to nurture our More generally, the Met Office progressively shares a scientific and technical excellence. For the Met Office to mixture of content in innovative ways using different From outside the UK: maintain its world-leading reputation, it is essential that our channels (page 13). Tel: +44 1392 885 680 scientists are able to meet their full potential. I am proud Fax: +44 1392 885 681 Another good example of communicating science is our that the Met Office is working towards achieving this, for interactive global animations. These involved scientists, www.metoffice.gov.uk instance, through supporting opportunities for women in programmers, designers and the Met Office Informatics science (page 9). Keep your eye out for Lab working together to create a new way of visualising the new Met Office Another important part of my role is to champion Met one of our global climate datasets (page 11). Science Twitter feed: Office science; my ambition is for the Met Office to be @MetOffice_Sci Translating meteorology into risks recognised as a leader in weather and climate science. Increasingly, we are assessing and predicting environmental This means that we need to work with experts in other risks, translating meteorology into actual impacts, like fields, and deliver through partnership, building on the flooding, drought or damaging wind storms. This concept legacy of my predecessor. draws together a thread that runs right through foundation, Before the Met Office I worked mainly in academia weather, climate and applied science. To assess present- at the universities of Cambridge, Reading, and Stanford day risk we need to understand the extent to which it is due in California. My research covered several areas to natural fluctuations or climate change. This enables us spanning foundation, weather and climate sciences, to predict changing risk over timescales from a few days and focused on turbulence in the atmosphere and oceans. ahead, to seasonal, decadal or even longer. /metoffice While at Reading I ran the school of Mathematical and Who could have imagined the expansion in the range @metoffice Physical Sciences, which includes the world-famous of services we now provide? A great example of this is www.metoffice.gov.uk/barometer Department of Meteorology. After that I became the first space weather (see page 17). Ten years ago it was Joint Met Office Chair at Reading under the Met Office hard to anticipate that we would ever produce these Academic Partnership. forecasts operationally, yet here we are having done Five years ago I joined the Met Office as Director of the so for over a year. I can’t wait to help create the next Met Office Hadley Centre. I am particularly proud of the evolution in our services, all underpinned by a strong work that we did on climate dynamics which informed the fundamental science programme! © Crown copyright 2017 00149 Met Office and the Met Office logo are registered trademarks. 1 | Barometer | Welcome Back to contents In this issue... 04 In brief The Weather Maker COVER STORY: 03 Big data 03 New map on app challenge Top Customer Service Awards Making our data more useful by 03 transforming how it’s accessed, disseminated and stored. Science focus A winter to 05 07 Bringing a brighter 19 Life in the ocean wave team remember? Met Office meteorologist outlook for Britain and weather presenter 163 years on, the bonds between People Aidan McGivern looks back at the seemingly weather forecasting, climate, and unremarkable winter. economic development are just as relevant today. 20 Science profile: Andy Saulter Women in science 21 Celebrity weather: 09 Picture this Alex Deakin The Met Office is developing 11 a diverse workforce that is It’s a challenge shared by many representative of society scientists: how do you communicate so that our work is relevant complex research data in an to the community and accessible and engaging way, customers we serve. without compromising integrity? 13 Telling the Responding to weather 15 crisis. Building story resilience The nation’s insatiable appetite From earthquakes to a refugee crisis that rocked the world for weather is ideally suited to our – disaster and devastation has dominated recent news. But modern world where information behind the scenes, there have also been stories of hope. flows constantly. It’s great 17 21 outdoors Nothing beats that feeling of being outside, and our Beyond the sky forecasts can help you make the most of being From awe-inspiring auroras to out in the open air. disrupted power grids, space can have a huge impact on Earth. 2 | Barometer | In this issue... Back to contents The Weather Professor Richard Betts said: Maker “Rainforests are well named because they have a two-way relationship with the weather. These extensive Cornwall’s Eden Project is highlighting blankets of forest actually help create the links between climate and rain, as warm moist air rises above the rainforests in a major new exhibition forests. Winds carry moisture from called The Weather Maker. over the ocean, which falls out as In Complexities of the rainforest and rain and is then recycled back to the climate cycle are brought to life in the atmosphere through evaporation. As brief Eden Project’s Rainforest Biome as the water evaporates from leaves this has a Weather Maker exhibition explores how cooling effect and this effect is amplified rainforests act as air movers, water as the moisture rises to form clouds A quick look at sweaters, flood defenders, rain makers, above the forest which help to reflect the news and sun reflectors and carbon catchers. sunlight. Beyond the forests themselves, rainforests have an influence on the updates from The Eden Project worked with climate global climate by stimulating the around the world scientists, including Professor Richard circulation of air around the globe and of the Met Office. Betts, from the Met Office Hadley helping to absorb atmospheric carbon Centre and the University of Exeter, to as the vegetation grows.” gain access to the latest research. New map on app outstanding level of customer service Top Customer provided by the Met Office. This comes at a time when we have received our A new interactive rainfall map is among Service Awards largest number of enquiries recorded, the latest improvements to the Met with over 157,000 customer contacts Office Weather app. Following on from our success last managed so far this year. year at the Top 50 Companies for Since we launched our app last year we Customer Service Awards, the IT The awards were presented have listened carefully to what people and Customer Service team has following an extensive mystery want, regularly conducting research again been recognised for high shopper programme where we were and reviewing analytics to understand level customer service. assessed on the quality, timeliness and how the app is being used. personalisation of the service offered Winning best provider of service by The new interactive forecast map by phone, email and social media. phone and email demonstrates an shows rainfall radar for the next 24 hours, and an observations map for the last six hours. Forecast intervals are hourly for the next six hours and then every three hours after that.