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This one-day course has been developed for people who work
in a control-room environment, who have access to the daily
weather forecast supplied by the Met Office and have to make
operational decisions about running the railway based on this
information.
Rail training can be hosted by the Met Office or provided at
your own premises. We aim to have around 10 delegates per course.
A full set of notes are supplied for handy reference, and course
certificates are awarded on completion.
Refreshments and lunch are provided. |
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Making the most of your weather forecast
Aims and objectives
To give you a basic understanding of the weather in the UK and its
impact on the Rail Industry. Particular attention will be paid to
those weather hazards that cause the most damage.
For you to appreciate the different sources of weather information
and understand their varying limitations.
Ultimately, this course will enable you to make informed decisions
leading up to and during periods of adverse weather.
Course content
Setting the scene -
what causes the UK's weather
This section is intended to provide background information
on why the UK has such diverse weather. It also sets much of the background
meteorology which is imperative for the following sections.
There is a practical session identifying air masses.
Strong winds - their cause and effect on the rail network |
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In this section we answer questions such as:
- When do strong winds occur? Both time of year and the type
of weather events are they associated with.
- What type of winds cause the most damage?
- Where do strong winds occur?
There is a practical session identifying strong winds on charts. |
Thunderstorms - their cause and effect on the rail network |
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In this section we answer questions such as:
- When do thunderstorms occur? Both time of year and the type
of weather events are they associated with.
- What type of thunderstorm situations cause the most damage?
- Where do thunderstorms occur?
We examine how lightning is detected. There is a practical
session matching weather to lightning risk criteria. |
| Temperatures
- their cause and effect on the rail network |
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In this section we answer questions such as:
- Why do different types of surface temperature differ so
much?
- When do minimum temperatures occur?
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| Snow
and ice - their cause and effect on the rail network |
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In this section we answer questions such as:
- When does snow or icing occur? Both time of year and what
type of weather events are they associated with.
- What type of icing events cause the most damage?
- Where does icing occur?
There is a practical session identifying icing situations. |
| Flooding
events - their causes and effect on the rail network |
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In this section we answer questions such as:
- What types of flooding exist?
- What types of weather events are they associated with?
There is a case study on an exceptional recent flooding event. |
Quiz
This is aimed at identifying some of the important points that you
need to remember.
Forecast limitations
- why do forecasts go wrong?
In this section we identify the reasons for why forecasts go wrong.
We examine confidence levels and probabilities, and the limitations
of Weather Radar.
Climate change - the
latest news and the implications for you
In this section we provide the most up to date theories on climate
change and how it will impact the rail industry, for example, lightning
frequency, strong wind frequency and flooding implications.
