Civil Service in the news
The Met Office - they're not just a bunch of weather forecasters
19/11/2007 - Ministry of Defence [External website] 
In criminal and civil investigations, detailed weather reports can provide missing clues, or be used as vital evidence in court help settle disputes or over claims. And it's all thanks to Met Office forensic meteorologists.
The Met Office, a MOD trading agency, provides expert meteorological advice for all branches of the legal profession, insurance companies and those involved in civil or criminal litigation.
When we think of the weather we usually want to know what it's going to be like today or how it may affect us in the future. But in forensic meteorology the focus is on the past. Weather data from the scene of an unfortunate or tragic event such as a flood, road traffic accident or even a murder can help the police and legal services answer those crucial questions: What? Why? When? Where? How?
“Forensic meteorology covers the areas of weather relating to the law. We try to help the legal system resolve civil and criminal cases whenever the weather may have had some impact,” says Met Office Senior Forensic Meteorologist, Jim Buckman.
“We do that by analysing and interpreting weather from different data sources, so we can arrive at an opinion about what the weather may have been doing when the incident occurred. However, it's not our role to say who's guilty or not. In fact, sometimes we won't know any more details than the place, date and time.”
“Forensic meteorology covers the areas of weather relating to the law. We try to help the legal system resolve civil and criminal cases whenever the weather may have had some impact.”
Jim Buckman, Met Office Senior Forensic Meteorologist
The detailed “aftercasts” produced by Jim, who heads up the Met Office's England and Wales land-based operation, are used by the police, solicitors and insurers as evidence in courts or to resolve claims. On some occasions Jim or one of his colleagues, Martyn Sunter in Scotland and John Wylie in Northern Ireland, may also be asked to appear in court as an expert witness.
“Most of our reports are for road traffic accidents, when there is an implication that the road was wet or icy,” explains Jim.
“We also get involved with murder inquiries. For instance, we can help determine how long a body has been lying somewhere by looking at temperatures and rainfall.”
Jim responds to over 100 enquiries each month. Recently he was involved in such incidents as the death of four cyclists in a car crash in North Wales, a case of child neglect where a baby was thought to have been left outside, an investigation into the death of a dog left in a car on a hot day and an insurance claim against a construction firm for a collapsed swimming pool.
While Jim and his team have their noses close to the ground, there are other forensic meteorologists at the Met Office who have their eyes to the sky. Service Manager David Howells routinely supplies data for air traffic accidents:
“I am often asked for elements like cloud base and visibility for accidents near high ground where, for example, pilots have flown into trouble due to a gradually lowering cloud base.”
David works within the Met Office Aviation Services and answers questions from the Air Accident Investigation Branch, Civil Aviation Authority, Joint Airprox Board and solicitors.
On a typical day, he may have to describe anything from surface winds at an airfield where there has been a landing accident to light levels and moon and sun times, to determine whether or not a pilot was night flying illegally or if they would have been able to see a cumulonimbus cloud in moonlight.
For over a decade, Met Office forensic meteorologists have been working behind the scenes to help piece together legal puzzles. Next time you watch, listen to or read the news, the Met Office may have played an important part in the story.
Did you know?
- In 2005 there were around 5.5 million recorded criminal offences in England and Wales, a fall of one per cent on the previous year. Every year there are nearly 34,000 fatal and serious accidents on Britain's roads
- Most road traffic accidents occur in north-west England, with approximately 3,634 each year. The least occur in north-east England, with up to 1,064 each year
- In 2005, there were 23 serious incidents involving aircraft, but no fatal accidents in the UK
- The UK insurance industry is the largest in Europe and the third largest in the world. It pays out £54 million per day in claims
- The average British household spends £188 every year on buildings insurance, £159 on home contents insurance and £556 on motor insurance