Météo-France in the storm

After NOAA, which has just suffered the wrath of the Trump administration (1), here is the Météo-France institute in turn pinned by the national press. After the newspaper La Dépêche on March 24 th, Le Monde adds on April the 20 th (2) by taking stock of the situation and studying the causes of the recent errors that have occurred several times in the weather forecasts of recent months Read more …

Météo-France strengthens its observations in the Mediterranean [Update]

Following the catastrophic weather phenomenon that hit Corsica on 18 August 2022, causing considerable damage, Météo-France has undertaken to deploy additional resources in the western Mediterranean to better predict the occurrence of such phenomenon.

March, the 5 th 2025, Météo-France has launched the fifth in a series of weather buoys anchored off the coast of France northwest of Corsica. This deployment is part of the reinforcement of the sea observation system, initiated in June 2023, and aims to improve local capacity to anticipate extreme weather events before they reach land. Read more …

NOAA in danger : bad weather for meteorology !

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employs approximately 12 000 people around the world, more than half of whom are scientists and engineers. NOAA Operates 18 satellites and 15 vessels and has a budget of 6,8 billion dollars. Through various services, its job is to study the atmosphere (National Weather Service), study the oceans, fish resources, charting the seas (National Ocean Service), to follow their evolution and predict their future (Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research). NOAA's work is critical for aviation, Navy, fishing, climate research and offshore oil and gas exploration, especially when it comes to modelling weather patterns and climate change. Read more …

New tutorial : Weather in the Mediterranean

March, the volume 2 from Introduction to Marine Weather has been published on the iBook Store (Apple Books)

 

The Mediterranean Sea has a unique configuration in the world. An enclosed maritime area of nearly two thousand nautical miles from west to east, it is only open to the Atlantic by a strait of eight nautical miles. Read more …

BBC Radio 4 – The Shipping Forecast celebrates its 100 years old

2025 marks the 100 years of the broadcast of marine weather forecasts The Shipping Forecast on BBC Radio 4. This emblematic transmission, produced by the UK Met Office on behalf of MCA_media, continues to be a vital safety service for mariners along our coasts.

I had written an article at the beginning 2010 (¹) on the gradual disappearance of radio weather forecasts in France, and praised the consistency of the BBC bulletin. Fifteen years later, the marine weather forecast is still broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Long Waves at the same unchanging times. Hats off ! Read more …

If the Gulf Stream ended ?

© Musée Maritime de l'Ile Tatihou 2005

© Maritime Museum of Tatihou Island 2005

No, these are not the catastrophic rantings of an inveterate collapsologist, but a very serious study reported by the climatologist Stefan Rahmstorf. I give here a French and freely adapted transcription.

The warm currents that reach Europe are now called by climatologists AMOC, in English the "Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation". Read more …