Helping predict weather and protect people in vulnerable places

Accurately predicting the weather in many parts of the world remains a difficult proposition – often at the expense of lives, livestock and livelihoods. Professor Doug Parker supports communities to get early warnings for severe weather.

Developing more accurate, reliable methods of weather forecasting can – and does – save lives.

—Professor Doug Parker

Impact

• International collaboration: worked with communities in Africa to improve weather forecasting capabilities
• Improved outcomes: delivered storm alerts to more than two million people in Senegal
• Health impact: reduced these annual deaths in Lake Victoria by 30 per cent
• Knowledge transfer: shared knowledge and created learning opportunities in Ghana

Key information

• Major funders: UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Global Challenges Research Fund
• Partners and collaborators: Met Office, World Meteorological Organisation, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
• Disciplines: environment, meteorology, technology
• Investigators: Professor Doug Parker

Keywords: climate change, natural disasters, extreme weather, Met Office, meteorology, weather forecasting, weather warnings, climate change mitigation and adaptation