New Era for Meteorology

Mr. Nixon in the statement said the commissioning was not just another official function—it marked the start of a new era for meteorology in this country. High speed electronic computers were essential if we were to keep abreast of recent developments in meteorology and satisfy operational and research needs in national and international spheres.

For the first time the Bureau would have a high speed tool to handle more rapidly and effectively material used for short range forecasting and at the same time the Bureau would have much needed assistance in developing and proving different techniques for extended forecasting. Under the meteorologist's control, the computer would prepare weather charts for analysis and prediction for Australia and the whole of the southern hemisphere. And the computer would also be used for research, to extract information needed by the Bureau's customers for statistical and accounting requirements and for special purposes.

Mr. Nixon said the basic aim of the computer was to improve meteorological services to the nation as a whole by way of increased accuracy and an extended procedure of forecasts and warnings and better statistical and consultative processes.

It would be possible to simulate the generation, development, subsequent decay of tropical cyclones and to permit the study of changes in the behaviour of a hypothetical storm.

Australia's value—its important role—in the World Weather Watch network was readily acknowledged by the World Meteorological Organisation—it chose three centres which collect, process and exchange meteorological data on a global scale—and Melbourne was one of them. The other two were Washington and Moscow. It was also an acknowledgement of Australia's standing-in that Mr. W. J. Gibbs, Director of the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, was elected as the World Meteorological Organisation's first vice-president.

Mr. Nixon said the choice of Melbourne as the only centre in the southern hemisphere reflected Australia's knowhow and capacity to process the tremendous volume of weather data involved. With the latest computers, the basic material from parts of the world may be processed within a few hours and weather maps produced up to 72 hours ahead.

Mr. Nixon said for the next twelve months this Melbourne computer would be used experimentally in producing weather analyses and prediction charts and in preparing routine statistical summaries. He said we had come a long way since the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology began as the national weather service in 1908.

As this new computer complex indicated, the Bureau was continually expanding to meet the growing needs for general and specialised weather information. Electronics had revolutionised all Bureau operations. The computer was an excellent example, and, in addition, the Bureau's radar network was another.

It was interesting to note that the Bureau's services cost about 80 cents per annum on a per capita basis, and it was estimated that savings to the nation approximated 300 million dollars annually, mainly as a result of timely Bureau warnings of cyclones, bush fires and floods.

Mr. Nixon added that when one considered that we lived in a part of the world that was still developing, it made the outlay even more significant. The assistance that Australia already provided to its developing neighbours would be enhanced by the data handling and exchange capacity of this computer.

Bureau of Meteorology