The current compute system used to make medium-range weather forecasts across Europe is based in Reading, in the U.K. The computer had served its time and a new system was needed. Because of Brexit – the U.K.’s soon-to-be-leaving the European Union – a decision was taking by the member states of the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts to relocate the new version. The place selected to house the next-generation device is Bologna, Italy. Before installation work begins, full agreement is required from the Italian government (although this is expected to be a formality).
The computer’s space will be a disused tobacco factory in the Emilia-Romagna Region. The conversion project will be in the region of $55 million (or 50 million euros). The new computer will process vast quantities of data, drawn from satellite images together with operational seasonal forecasting coupled atmosphere-ocean-land models. To do this the center works very closely with the European Space Agency.
The body in charge of the project, the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts, is an independent intergovernmental organisation supported by most of the nations of Europe. Th remit of the organization is to provide accurate medium-range global weather forecasts out to 15 days and seasonal forecasts out to 12 months. The most important function of the computer is to provide an early warning, to European nations, of potentially damaging severe weather.
Speaking with the BBC about the new computer, European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts Director-General Florence Rabier said: “As laid out in our 2025 Strategy launched last September, we believe that continuing to improve weather predictions relies heavily on our ability to support our science with proportionate computing power. Intermediary goals to 2020 already require that the Centre’s next supercomputers should provide a tenfold increase in our computational capacity.”
