Recent developments in operational flood forecasting in England, Wales and Scotland

✍ Scribed by Micha Werner; Michael Cranston; Tim Harrison; Doug Whitfield; Jaap Schellekens

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 503 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1350-4827
• DOI: 10.1002/met.124

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

This paper discusses developments in the last five to six years in the provision of operational flood forecasting in England, Wales, and Scotland. Before the formation of the Environment Agency (EA) in England and Wales and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), flood forecasting capabilities were fragmented. Just over a decade ago both organisations received governmental mandates for the provision of flood forecasting and warning nationally, and have as a result in recent years established systems providing national coverage: the National Flood Forecasting System, and Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) Scotland. These have facilitated a rapid expansion of catchments for which forecasts are provided, and the common framework used has enabled a more rapid introduction of scientific advances in forecasting techniques. This paper gives an overview of some of these recent developments, as well as providing an outlook to further developments to be undertaken in the near future. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society