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Supercomputer to improve forecasting of lousy German weather

Meteorologists this week booted up one of the fastest supercomputers in the world to improve German weather forecasting – if not Germany's notoriously bad weather.

Supercomputer to improve forecasting of lousy German weather
Photo: DPA

The NEC SX-9, which went into operation at the German Weather Service (DWD) in Offenbach on Thursday, should give meteorologists access to highly-complex weather prediction models.

“Thanks to the enormous capacity of the integrated Ensemble [technology] in processing information, this new supercomputer can handle more physics at once, which makes it easier to predict storm cells, heavy rainfall, hail and strong winds than ever before,” said Dr. Gerhard Steinhorst, head forecasting at DWD. “We can also use this information to improve the DWD’s warning system.”

With a capacity of up to 109 trillion multiplications per second, the supercomputer is one of the fastest vector processors in the world. By 2010, it should have improved upon its predecessor’s processing capacity by a factor of 45.

“Ensemble technology can construct as many as 20 parallel forecasts – rather than just one – each based off a slightly different set of starting conditions,” DWD’s Head of System Administration Henning Weber told The Local.

“The overall result enables meteorologists to more accurately determine the likelihood of a particular weather situation.”

But anyone getting too excited about the new forecasting powerhouse should be reminded that it won’t improve the often atrocious German weather likely to ruin your next weekend barbecue.

“The focus with this machine is creating very, very precise weather forecasts for the next 18 hours, in turn allowing city officials to prepare to streets with salt or de-ice planes,” explained Weber. “Three to five day forecasts are something we hope to improve upon in the future.”

Click here for The Local’s weather forecast.

BERLIN

Disruption on roads in Berlin as farmers stage fresh protest

Farmers in Germany launched fresh protests in Berlin on Friday to call for the government to support agriculture, resulting in disruption across the city.

Disruption on roads in Berlin as farmers stage fresh protest

Berlin police said there were “considerable traffic disruptions” across the city and the outskirts and especially around Straße des 17. Juni, the government district and the Bundesrat .

Since Thursday morning, Straße des 17. Juni and other streets around the government district in Berlin-Tiergarten have been closed. There will also be closures on Leipziger Straße between Wilhelmstraße and Leipziger Platz through Friday.

A planned rally is due to take place from 12 noon to 5pm on Friday with tractors and lorries around Platz des 18. März, near Brandenburg Gate. 

The action is being held to protest the government’s agricultural policies.

It comes as relief measures – including reduced bureaucracy and tax relief for farmers – went to the Bundesrat on Friday to be voted on as part of the Growth Opportunities Act.

However, farmers are still pushing for their original demand of fully keeping the agricultural diesel subsidy.

READ ALSO: Analysis: Why are German farmers so angry?

Farmers in Germany have been staging similar protests against the policies of the government since the start of the year.

Where are protests taking place?

Here’s a look at the routes farmers are expected to take in Friday into Berlin where disruption will occur:

Frohnau: From the state border via B96 Berliner Straße, Roedernallee, Lindauer Allee, Residenzstraße, Markstraße, Schulstraße, Luxemburger Straße, Föhrer Straße, An der Putlitzbrücke, Stromstraße, Lessingstraße, Altonaer Straße and Großer Stern to Straße des 17. Juni

Lichtenrade: From the state border via the B96 Kirchhainer Damm to Tempelhofer Damm and then via Mehringdamm, Hallesches Ufer, Reichpietschufer, Klingelhöferstraße, Hofjägerallee and Großer Stern to Straße des 17. Juni

Mahlsdorf: From the state border via the B1/5 to Alexanderstraße and then via Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, Unter den Linden, Wilhelmstraße, Dorotheenstraße, Scheidemannstraße, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee, Spreeweg and Großer Stern to Straße des 17. Juni

Staaken: From the state border via B5 Heerstraße to Theodor-Heuss-Platz, Kaiserdamm, Ernst-Reuter-Platz, Straße des 17. Juni and Großer Stern to Straße des 17. Juni.

As we’ve already. mentioned, there will also be road closures on Leipziger Straße between Wilhelmstraße and Leipziger Platz.

Farmers at the Straße des 17. Juni early morning on Friday in Berlin in a demo for better agricultural policy.

Farmers at the Straße des 17. Juni early morning on Friday in Berlin in a demo for better agricultural policy. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jörg Carstensen

A large police presence was in place around the federal ministries and parliamentary buildings.

“We are taking preparatory measures before the farmers’ rally so that parliamentary work can take place smoothly on Friday,” said a spokesperson for the Berlin police on Thursday. 

During previous demonstrations, tactics – such as throwing manure and blockade attempts – have been controversial. 

On one occasion in January more than a hundred farmers blocked a ferry port as Economics Minister Robert Habeck tried to return from a holiday with his wife on the North Friesian island of Hooge.

According to media reports, some of the protestors tried to storm the ferry that the Habeck and his wife were on, preventing the Green Party politician from disembarking and forcing police to intervene. 

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