Press release 9.11.2010

Improved short term weather forecast for local and regional bodies to improve services for citizens

The BALTRAD project is creating a weather radar network for the Baltic Sea Region, operating in real-time, with high-quality data, and with demonstrated value to forecasters and decision-makers.
Photo: Tuomas Marttila

Improved short term weather forecast for local and regional bodies to improve services for citizens

Workshop on the improved use of information from weather radar in transport, public safety and recreation sector

Weather forecasts that warn of hazardous conditions, e.g. snow storms or floods, help save lives and property. Accurate and timely forecasts also help optimize activities for several sectors of the economy. Weather radar systems are capable of monitoring rain, snow, hail, and wind over large geographical areas with high resolution in both time and space. Several weather radar systems can be networked to cover countries, regions, and even continents.The BALTRAD project is creating a weather radar network for the Baltic Sea Region, operating in real-time, with high-quality data, and with demonstrated value to forecasters and decision-makers. BALTRAD is a project funded by the INTERREG IVB Baltic Sea Region Programme, and it is designed as an element of regional infrastructure in support of transport sectors (road, rail, aviation, sea), hydrology, radiation and nuclear safety, recreation, and other interests where weather is important. BALTRAD partners are the national weather and hydrological institutes in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Denmark, and Belarus, along with the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority in Finland.The project organized a workshop on 26th October 2010 in Aalborg, Denmark. It attracted nearly 50 participants. The workshop was geared to inform about enhanced weather forecast and its use in customized applications that can be of value when local and regional bodies want to improve their services for their citizens.The interaction of experts on weather forecast based on radar technologies with end-user communities led to a fruitful exchange on the priorities, needs and requirements of end users. The outcomes of the workshop stimulates the further developments in the BALTRAD project to develop customised applications that can improve services such as road- and railway management, forecast of flash flooding in urban areas, local rescue services, agriculture and management of nuclear- and chemical accidents.

The BALTRAD project invites interested parties to get in contact with the project in order to maximize the involvement of end users from the public and private sector.

Further details on the project as well as the presentations of the workshop can be obtained either from the website www.baltrad.eu or by sending an email to info@baltrad.eu