Numerical Weather Prediction at 60: A journey of innovation at the Met Office

Numerical Weather Prediction at 60: A Journey of Innovation at the Met Office

Sixty years ago, the Met Office began a transformative journey that changed weather forecasting in the UK and worldwide. The adoption of numerical weather prediction (NWP) in 1965 marked a pivotal moment, launching an era of scientific progress, technological breakthroughs, and increasingly accurate forecasts.

From Early Experiments to Operational Forecasts

The NWP story at the Met Office started in the early 1950s when pioneering scientists like Fred H. Hinds, guided by John S. Sawyer, made the first experimental forecasts using the EDSAC computer in Cambridge. Despite the technology’s limitations, these efforts laid crucial foundations for future advances.

By 1959, the Ferranti Mercury computer, called ‘Meteor’, was installed at Dunstable, representing the first dedicated NWP research computer.

“On 2 November 1965, the Met Office produced its first operational computer forecast, a moment that received widespread media attention and marked the beginning of a new era in weather prediction.”

This breakthrough came with the arrival of the English Electric KDF9 computer, ‘Comet’, at Bracknell in 1965.

Advancing Science and Technology

The decades that followed featured rapid advancements in both science and technology, continuously enhancing forecasting methods and accuracy at the Met Office.

As the Met Office celebrates 60 years of NWP, it reflects on these remarkable achievements and anticipates a future full of innovation.

Author’s summary: The Met Office’s 60-year journey with numerical weather prediction showcases relentless innovation that has revolutionized forecasting accuracy and scientific progress in meteorology.

Wired-Gov — 2025-11-05