Met Éireann, Ireland’s national weather service, has announced a groundbreaking research collaboration with the University College Dublin (UCD) to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) in improving the precision of long-term weather forecasting. The multi-million-euro academic initiative will involve close cooperation between Met Éireann and a professor-led research group at UCD’s School of Mathematics and Statistics and UCD Earth Institute.
The program, funded with €1 million annually for an initial five-year period, aims to enhance citizen safety, support weather-sensitive sectors, and leverage the latest advancements in data science and AI for weather and climate services. Eoin Moran, Director of Met Éireann, emphasized that this investment will significantly boost national forecasting capabilities, making Ireland more resilient to weather and climate challenges.
Professor Helen Roche, UCD’s Interim Vice-President for Research, Impact, and Innovation, highlighted the potential of AI in advancing forecasting capabilities. The partnership is poised to produce the next generation of climate and weather scientists, contributing to tackling the climate emergency. This collaboration builds upon the longstanding relationship between UCD and Met Éireann, taking it to new heights by harnessing AI to protect life, property, and infrastructure.