Ice storm or forest fire? Check online before you set off

HOLIDAYMAKERS heading abroad are now able to see if they will encounter severe heatwaves, forest fires or even avalanches on their dream trips.

Met Éireann has joined forces with forecasters across Europe in a website showing weather alerts and dangers across the continent.

Visitors to www.meteoalarm.eu will be able to see threats across Europe ranked according to severity, with red the most serious and white representing no risk. Environment Minister Batt O’Keeffe, visiting Met Éireann headquarters in Glasnevin, Dublin, for the Irish launch of the MeteoAlarm website, said: “As a single source of comprehensive weather conditions anywhere in Europe, it will benefit all citizens, visitors to Europe, and not least, the civic authorities,” he said.

“This new website is an excellent example of international co-operation in meteorology.”

Last night the website showed Ireland covered in green to signal no real risk of adverse weather. But countries like France and Germany were coloured orange — one step down from red — to signify bad weather with dangers including snow, ice, and wind.

Similarly visitors to most parts of Norway can expect moderate risk of high winds while on extreme eastern parts a high risk of avalanches exists.

The website, run with the help of 20 European forecasting organisation, uses universally understood symbols and colour-coded maps to display warnings of expected severe weather for the next 48 hours.

Mr O’Keeffe said the MeteoAlarm website would help holidaymakers, businesses and emergency services alike to plan in advance. “Storms, floods and other weather hazards are a significant threat to safety and to prosperity,” he said.

“With climate change, these events may to occur more frequently so the MeteoAlarm initiative can make a definite contribution to our preparedness for such events.”

The minister was also using the visit to pay tribute to the contribution of Met Éireann to climate change studies.

The weather forecasting service has a national database of climate information and a climate prediction project called the Community Climate Change Consortium for Ireland.