Friday 4 August 2000

MEDIA RELEASE - VICTORIAN REGIONAL OFFICE

Weather service fires up as torch moves through Gippsland and the north-east

As the Olympic torch makes its way through Gippsland and the State's north-east, the Bureau of Meteorology will provide special weather information to meet the needs of relay organisers, runners and spectators.

Acting Regional Director, Mr Mark Williams, said two extra forecasts will be issued each day in addition to the standard weather service, to ensure that relay participants have the latest information about weather conditions for their segment of the route.

Mr Williams said Bureau forecasts were dependent on a vast database of information. "Although there is a heavy reliance on technology such as satellites, radar and automatic weather stations, the Bureau also has a network of observers who supply valuable data from their area. An army of storm spotters - there are more than 700 in Victoria - also report on dangerous or interesting local conditions", he said.

Forecasting for the torch relay is just one of a number of weather services to be provided for the Sydney 2000 Olympics under an agreement between the Bureau and the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games.

The Acting Regional Director, Victoria, and the observer at Benalla are available for interviews (contact details below).

A typical forecast for the Torch Relay will include the general weather situation, warnings of potentially hazardous conditions, expected weather for the next part of the route, an outlook for the following day and a scheduled time for the next forecast. Mr Williams said that although there was no indication of any really unusual weather over the next few days, it was important for relay participants to be aware of local factors such as temperature, rainfall, humidity and wind, as these elements have an effect on the comfort level of individual runners.

Climate was one of the criteria taken into account during development of the national Torch Relay route. The flame will cross every climate zone in Australia during its 27,000 kilometre journey.

Forecasting for the Torch Relay is just one of a number of weather services to be provided for the Sydney 2000 Olympics under an agreement between the Bureau and the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games.

Further information:

Mrs Phyllis McArthur, observer at Benalla
Tel: 5762 2803

Mark Williams, Acting Regional Director, Victoria,
Tel work: (03) 9669 4968, mob: 0417 519 795, e-mail: mark.williams@bom.gov.au

Barry Southern, Acting Supervising Meteorologist, Victoria,
Tel work: (03) 9669 4902, mob: 0407 878 879, b.southern@bom.gov.au

Bureau of Meteorology Olympic web site:
The Bureau's Olympic web site has been archived and is available from the National Library of Australia http://pandora.nla.gov.au/parchive/2000/S2000-Sep-15/www.olympic.bom.gov.au/olympic/index.htm.