Met Éireann reveals plan to use A.I. to 'transform' its weather forecasting capability

Met Éireann has partnered with University College Dublin to launch a new centre which will use Artificial Intelligence to transform weather forecasting.

It will aim to prepare Ireland for more extreme weather conditions amid growing concerns over the impact of climate change. 

The AIMSIR (AI for Meteorological services, innovation and research) centre was set up with the help of a €5 million investment from Met Éireann and is the first of its kind in Ireland.

It will be hosted in the UCD School of Mathematics and Statistics and will operate in conjunction with the UCD Earth Institute. 

The centre will bring together more than 60 UCD researchers across an array of disciplines such as mathematics, statistics, computer science, physics, engineering and climatology. The centre will create a collaboration of expertise among these researchers which will intersect data science, meteorology and climate research. 

AIMSIR will have access to over a hundred years of historical meteorological data which it will be able to analyse alongside current satellite imagery and sensor data to detect weather and climate trends quicker than traditional methods. 

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The new centre will focus on developing AI-driven forecasting tools to improve the accuracy of predictions for extreme and multi-hazard weather events along with the development of weather and climate services. 

AIMSIR will aim to directly strengthen Ireland's national forecast capability. It is being envisioned as a cornerstone of Met Éireann's strategic plan to leverage the advancements of AI in support of it's mission to protect life and property. 

Folowing the launch, Eoin Moran, Director of Met Éireann said: "Met Éireann's mission to protect life and property and promote societal wellbeing is grounded in world-class science and innovation. The creation of the AIMSIR research centre reflects a strategic investment in building expertise in the application of data science to weather and climate". 

Outlining the reasons behind the new centre, Moran continued: "Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly frequent and in some cases, more severe across Ireland. From intense rainfall leading to flooding and damaging winds, these events can pose a serious challenge to public safety and infrastructure". 

Moran concluded by saying: "One of the central goals of the new centre is to integrate cutting edge AI models into the National Meteorological Service to help reduce vulnerability to the increasing risks posed by high-impact weather events. It will play a significant role in advancing Met Éireann's strategic objectives of enhancing public safety, bolstering economic and environmental resilience".  

Speaking at the launch, UCD President Orla Feely added: "This collaboration between University College Dublin and Met Éireann, Ireland's National Meteorological Service, to establish the AIMSIR centre will bring together the latest advances in the knowledge and application of data science, meteorology and climate research.

It will ensure that Ireland is at the forefront of this increasingly important area of scientific understanding".