The Met Office and the Environment Agency have jointly funded the construction of a radar to deliver high-resolution rainfall data for East Anglia in the UK. The radar is expected to be fully operational by early summer 2026 and located on an Anglian Water-owned site at Old Buckenham.
Improving rainfall detection
By providing more detailed and reliable data on rainfall intensity and distribution, the radar is expected to enable meteorologists to better understand and predict the development and movement of storms. The radar will enhance the accuracy of storm tracking and rainfall estimation regardless of the storm’s origin. In fact, according to the UK Met Office, research suggests that the improved accuracy of severe weather and flood warnings enabled by this radar could help avoid damages exceeding £1m (US$1.4m) annually.
Simon Brown, services director of the UK Met Office, said, “We are pleased to see construction start on this significant Met Office and the Environment Agency investment. While the radar will extend observational reach further east, its most important contribution lies in the improved rainfall detection, critical for forecast accuracy and storm tracking, as well as the management of flood risk. This radar will deliver benefits to local communities and business in terms of enhanced flood warnings and response to floods and better weather forecasts.”
Preparing for extreme weather
Stefan Laeger, flood incident management service manager at the Environment Agency, added, “Rainfall measurements are crucial for managing flood incidents and the new weather radar will provide much improved information for East Anglia and the East of England. This builds on the valuable data offered by the Environment Agency’s automatic rain gauges. The radar will play a vital role in improving flood forecasting and enabling us to issue more timely and accurate flood warnings, helping to protect lives, property and infrastructure.”
Henry Cator, chairman of the Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance, stated, “The Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance welcomes the installation of this new weather radar in East Anglia – an excellent example of multi-agency collaboration, with the Met Office and Environment Agency constructing the radar on Anglian Water land. This development will enhance our preparedness for extreme weather events. The real-time data provided by the radar will significantly strengthen emergency response capabilities in the region, particularly in regard to rapidly developing conditions like the heavy showers and snowfall we saw during the ‘Beast from the East’ in 2018.”
In related news, the Met Office recently launched its new five-year strategy for 2025-2030, designed to position the organization as the most trusted provider of weather and climate intelligence. Read the full story here
