Next generation weather forecasting for Western Australia
31/10/2012
The Bureau of Meteorology is today releasing a major upgrade to its forecast and warning services for Western Australia.
The Next Generation Forecast and Warning System (NexGenFWS) would see 63 locations in Western Australia benefit from a level of service previously only available in Perth.
This investment in improving the Bureau's forecasting technology will enable it to deliver weather forecasts out to seven days for a greater number of locations than is currently possible. This has real benefits for communities, particularly in rural and remote locations.
NexGenFWS will also provide more detailed forecasts including temperature, rainfall, winds, and for the first time in some locations, fire danger.
In a first for Australia, the system has been further extended to incorporate tropical weather systems, including tropical cyclones. This will provide communities with more comprehensive information to allow them to better prepare for the risks associated with tropical weather.
The Next Generation Forecast and Warning System represents a $30.5 million investment by the Federal Government and has been successfully rolled out in four southern states, with the northern tropical states of Queensland and the Northern Territory to follow Western Australia.
The major changes to land and marine forecast services in Western Australia include:
• 63 locations receiving 7-day forecasts. This service will include icon-based forecast information in addition to the previous worded forecasts;
• 15 locations will receive a combined icon and worded forecast covering 7-days;
• An enhanced icon and worded 7-day forecast for Perth Metro, and will include rainfall probability and rainfall range information for the first day;
• An increase in the number of coastal waters zones from 12 to 14 (the smaller zones will allow for more detailed forecasts);
• An expansion to the Perth Local Waters forecast area; and
• A new 4-day forecast for the Melville Waters section of the Swan River.
