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Photos: Supercomputers signal when storms are a-brewing
Keeping one step ahead of mother nature

By Nick Heath

Published: Friday 06 June 2008

Tucked away in Reading, the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is using technology to map the weather across the world for up to 15 days ahead and provide forecasts for about 30 European countries, including the UK.

Medium range forecasts are sent out twice a day to the National Meteorological Services of ECMWF members and co-operating states, including the Met Office, to complement their national forecasts.

About 300 million pieces of information flow into the centre from a network of satellites, ships, aircraft, buoys and weather balloons every day. Here is a satellite image showing a storm brewing over the Atlantic.

ECMWF receives and sends out data using the Regional Meteorological Data Communications Network and is connected to 42 sites in 41 countries.

Photo credit: Nick Heath