Australia is set to upgrade its severe weather and flood warning capabilities.

New funding will see The Bureau of Meteorology lead a $1.29 million initiative, partly financed by the Australian Government's Disaster Risk Reduction Package (DRRP), to develop advanced warning products in alignment with the Australian Warning System (AWS).

The project seeks to create more effective warning systems through collaboration with the emergency management sector and the broader community, ensuring that the warnings deliver timely, accurate, and actionable information across various channels.

Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt, says the project is made more important against the backdrop of climate change, which is intensifying the severity of weather events. 

“We know that early, accurate, and consistent warnings save lives, which is why our Government has supported and encouraged the roll out of the AWS,” Mr Watt said.

Minister for Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, said it will be a critical collaboration. “This investment will mean the Bureau and AWS will work closely together to develop a new product to better help Australians prepare and respond to severe weather events,” she said. 

More information on projects funded under the DRRP is available on the National Emergency Management Agency's official website.