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New £1.2bn supercomputer for Met Office as UK floods.

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The Met Office is set to get a new £1.2bn supercomputer that it says will help the UK to better prepare for extreme weather events like the current flooding caused by Storm Dennis.
Data from this new supercomputer – which is expected to be the world’s most advanced dedicated solely to weather and climate – will be used to help more accurately predict storms, as well as identify the best locations for flood defenses and predict changes to the global climate. 
https://www.theengineer.co.uk/supercomputer-met-office-uk-floods/
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    Andy,

    I agree that it doesn't mean we can't spend on flood defences as well, but if the money is spent on the supercomputer, there is definitely £1.2bn that can't be spent somewhere else. (The income of the Met Office last year was just under £240m)

    My problem with this is that I agree that the computer will give better information and allow more accurate predictions of the where and when of flooding, but this only gives a few days warning to put things in place. Proper flood planning needs to be a long term solution, not a reaction to imminent flood predictions. With regard to the long term predictions, I don't think the new computer will give any better information than an extrapolation of current trends.

    Is it worthwhile getting a new supercomputer for the Met Office to provide more accurate forecasts? I think on balance it probably is.

    Is a new supercomputer going to make a difference in dealing with floods? I think on balance probably not.

    Should the announcement have suggested that the new computer was a solution to the present flooding crisis around the UK? I don't think so.

    Alasdair
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    Andy,

    I agree that it doesn't mean we can't spend on flood defences as well, but if the money is spent on the supercomputer, there is definitely £1.2bn that can't be spent somewhere else. (The income of the Met Office last year was just under £240m)

    My problem with this is that I agree that the computer will give better information and allow more accurate predictions of the where and when of flooding, but this only gives a few days warning to put things in place. Proper flood planning needs to be a long term solution, not a reaction to imminent flood predictions. With regard to the long term predictions, I don't think the new computer will give any better information than an extrapolation of current trends.

    Is it worthwhile getting a new supercomputer for the Met Office to provide more accurate forecasts? I think on balance it probably is.

    Is a new supercomputer going to make a difference in dealing with floods? I think on balance probably not.

    Should the announcement have suggested that the new computer was a solution to the present flooding crisis around the UK? I don't think so.

    Alasdair
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