Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the new Met Office supercomputer will be better able to predict heavy storms such as the one in Castle Point on 20 July 2014; and whether that supercomputer will enable agencies listed as category one flood responders to obtain more accurate data about catastrophic weather events with more notice than they currently receive.

The new supercomputer will enable the Met Office to predict small-scale, high impact weather features – such as thunderstorms – with greater detail and accuracy, and to provide earlier warnings of severe weather to emergency responders.