£97M computer

[RubiconCSL]

Met Office going for a new Cray super computer, with ....wait for it.... 480,000 CPUs!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29789208

For goodness sake, £97M. If they just rounded it up to £100M, they could buy a Macbook Pro. Not sure that would be enough to get a 3 year maintenance plan too though.

Also, doesn't the term Central Processing Unit kind of suggest 1 of them, as opposed to 480,000 of the little buggers?

[Portchester PFC]

Saw this on another web site Rubi and they equated it to the same computing power as 120,000 top end smart phones, now i know that is a lot of smart phones and they are pretty quick nowadays but it still didn't seem a lot for £97M

Still, apparently the claims are it can accurately forecast hourly updates for a 300m area accurately, if this is the case then thats quite impressive.

[Weybridge]

£97m seems steep. There's loads of decent weather apps out there for free...

[Bluesbro']

£97m seems steep. There's loads of decent weather apps out there for free...

Who all get their info from the Met Office (AFAIK).

[Pompski!]

In theory this is just an investment though. If they can forecast with better accuracy, they can them sell those forecasts to all and sundry for an ongoing substantial fee.

I am all for governmental investment, IF they get a healthy and ongoing return from it. ie, I think the NHS should accept international patients who are willing to pay through the nose for treatment... The BBC are and should be selling their products all over the world and making a tidy profit on it... etc

[miltoninLA]

Thanks, interesting article, wonder how long before it's obsolete, and if quantum computing will be cheaper?

[pompeygunner]

Its going to benefit the economy apparently, I'm racking my brain to think how.

[Weybridge]

Its going to benefit the economy apparently, I'm racking my brain to think how.

I'm sure business will benefit once we can tell the difference between 'dull', 'slightly gloomy' and 'looks as if it might rain later, but probably won't and even if it does it won't be a big deal'

[pompeygunner]

Its going to benefit the economy apparently, I'm racking my brain to think how.

I'm sure business will benefit once we can tell the difference between 'dull', 'slightly gloomy' and 'looks as if it might rain later, but probably won't and even if it does it won't be a big deal'

Well quite.
TBH UK's weather is variable, always has been always will be. There are weather MB's dedicated to weather of years gone by & even back in the 70's the weather was as variable as it is today. Think I'll stick with hanging seaweed on the window ledge approach, if it gets wet-raining. If it shrivels up-hot. If it gets brittle -cold.
Job Done!

[Portchester PFC]

Its going to benefit the economy apparently, I'm racking my brain to think how.

I'm sure business will benefit once we can tell the difference between 'dull', 'slightly gloomy' and 'looks as if it might rain later, but probably won't and even if it does it won't be a big deal'

Well quite.
TBH UK's weather is variable, always has been always will be. There are weather MB's dedicated to weather of years gone by & even back in the 70's the weather was as variable as it is today. Think I'll stick with hanging seaweed on the window ledge approach, if it gets wet-raining. If it shrivels up-hot. If it gets brittle -cold.
Job Done!

Gunner, when are you going to compliment your already sophisticated weather station with a Mk1 Pine Cone

[Pompey1985]

I'd guess the met office like OS sell their expertise overseas as consultants. Maybe even let their new toy run models for other nations?

[Miss Tickle's bottom]

till, apparently the claims are it can accurately forecast hourly updates for a 300m area accurately, if this is the case then thats quite impressive.

If the 'm' is for metres, I feel a little underwhelmed...

[Miss Tickle's bottom]

TBH UK's weather is variable, always has been always will be.

Which is why it's so important to be able to predict it accurately - they're not trying to control it, just provide accurate forecasts, which will benefit us all.

[pompeygunner]

TBH UK's weather is variable, always has been always will be.

Which is why it's so important to be able to predict it accurately - they're not trying to control it, just provide accurate forecasts, which will benefit us all.

For 97m they should be controlling it.
Seriously what do they hope to achieve by this & how will it benefit us? Because the way our weather is as a nation we tend to "get on with it". Cant see it myself & the ideas that it will benefit the economy are just the usual guff we get these days from those seeking to explain a high cost exercise that ultimately wont really help anyone. ( apart from smug forecasters).

[Miss Tickle's bottom]

TBH UK's weather is variable, always has been always will be.

Which is why it's so important to be able to predict it accurately - they're not trying to control it, just provide accurate forecasts, which will benefit us all.

For 97m they should be controlling it.
Seriously what do they hope to achieve by this & how will it benefit us? Because the way our weather is as a nation we tend to "get on with it". Cant see it myself & the ideas that it will benefit the economy are just the usual guff we get these days from those seeking to explain a high cost exercise that ultimately wont really help anyone. ( apart from smug forecasters).

If you lived in an area prone to flooding, would you be grateful if you were told exactly when a storm would cause your local river to breach its banks?
If you owned a haulage business, would you like to know exactly when bridges were going to be closed because of high winds?
And so on...