MET OFFICE News
Release issued by COI News Distribution Service on 21 April 2009
The new joint
Environment Agency and Met Office Flood Forecasting Centre for
England and Wales will be officially opened today by the Secretary
of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Hilary Benn MP.
The Flood Forecasting Centre (FFC) has been created to forecast
river and coastal flooding as well as extreme rainfall which may
lead to flooding from surface water. It will help provide earlier
warnings of floods to local authorities and the emergency
services, to give them more time to prepare for floods and reduce
the risk of loss of life and damage to property.
The new service will complement existing public flood warning
arrangements from the Environment Agency and public weather
warnings from the Met Office.
The creation of the centre is in response to a key recommendation
of Sir Michael Pitt's Review into the summer 2007 floods. The
FFC combines the Environment Agency's expertise in flood risk
management and the Met Office's expertise in weather
forecasting for the first time.
The Environment Agency's Chief Executive, Dr Paul Leinster,
commented: "The opening of the Flood Forecasting Centre marks
the beginning of a new era for flood forecasting. Using the
latest technology and working with our partners from the Met
Office, we will continue to improve our ability to forecast
flooding as the impacts of climate change take hold. We can't
stop flooding entirely, however the Flood Forecasting Centre will
allow us to be even better prepared."
The Chief Executive of the Met Office, John Hirst said:
"Climate change is increasingly influencing our weather. The
Met Office has accelerated its programme of research and
development to improve our ability to accurately forecast extreme
and, quite often, localised rainfall. We are now in a unique
position to combine our skills with those of the Environment
Agency to deliver real benefits to the UK."
ENDS
For further information contact Met Office Press Office on 01392
886655 or email pressoffice@metoffice.gov.uk or the Environment
Agency Press Office on 020 7863 8744
Notes to Editors:
* The new £10.4 million centre is operational 24 hours a day, 365
days a year, and is based in Farringdon, London. It is funded by
DEFRA (£5m), the Environment Agency (£4.9m), Welsh Assembly
Government (£250,000) and the Met Office (£76,000) and employs a
team totalling 26, including hydrologists, weather forecasters and
support staff. The £10.4m refers to spending between October 2008
and March 2011 and includes the set up, operational costs and the
delivery of the development program.
* Members of the public should check their flood risk from rivers
and the sea and sign up to the Environment Agency's free
flood warning service by calling 0845 988 1188 or visiting http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk.
The Met Office will also continue to issue weather warnings to the
public via TV and radio broadcasts and on its website http://www.metoffice.gov.uk.
* The Met Office is the UK's National Weather Service,
providing 24x7 world-renowned scientific excellence in weather,
climate and environmental forecasts and warnings for the
protection of life and property.