Member Article

Missing link in flood protection

A proposed £1m weather radar station in the North East hopes to provide a missing link in national radar coverage and give further flood protection in the region. Severe flooding in recent years has prompted the Met Office, Northumbrian Water and the Environment Agency to install the region’s first weather radar in High Moorsley, near Sunderland. The improved rainfall data will enable the Environment Agency to warn people in the North East of potential flooding more quickly and accurately reducing the risk of damage, distress and even loss of life.

Local residents and anyone else interested in the development are invited to find out more about the proposed North East weather radar and raise any questions or concerns they may have at a customer information session which is being held on Wednesday 27 June at the Wheatsheaf Inn, 49 Moorsley Road, Houghton-le-Spring between 3pm and 8pm.

Jacqui Cotton, from the Environment Agency, said: “We welcome the proposed North East weather radar which will significantly improve our ability to predict when and where rain is likely to fall and will enable us to give more accurate and timely flood warnings. We estimate that more than 70 communities across the region are at risk of flooding and will directly benefit from the improved data the radar will provide.”

Colin Price, Northumbrian Water’s Technical Director, said: “The proposed North East weather radar is a positive step towards further protecting customers in the region from flooding and it will also help us adapt to the impacts of climate change.”

A planning application will be submitted to Sunderland City Council next month and it is hoped that construction of the weather radar station will begin in January 2008 and take up to four months to complete.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .