Met Office and Microsoft debut AI-ready forecasting system
Microsoft Azure hosts world’s first cloud-based supercomputer for weather science.
The UK’s Met Office has launched a new supercomputer designed to significantly improve weather and climate forecasting accuracy. Operated via Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, it is the world’s first cloud-based supercomputer dedicated solely to weather and climate science.
Capable of performing 60 quadrillion calculations per second—more than four times faster than its predecessor—the system is expected to enhance 14-day forecasts, improve rainfall predictions, and offer better data for sectors like aviation and energy.
The infrastructure, split across two data centres in southern England, runs entirely on renewable energy. Originally announced in 2020 with a £1.2 billion UK government investment, the project faced delays due to COVID-19 and global supply chain disruptions.
Despite recent cyberattacks on UK institutions, Met Office officials say the new system has robust security and represents a major technological upgrade.
The Met Office also says the new system will support AI integration and provide better insights into climate change-related events, such as floods and wildfires.
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