Communicating vital weather information

Bureau of Meteorology

Article

In recent years the Bureau of Meteorology has expanded channels to communicate essential information about weather, climate, oceans and water. These have been targeted to engage with Australian communities on hazards and emergencies.

The Bureau’s website contains a wealth of information for business, government and community audiences. This is complemented by social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube as well as a regular blog and a weather app for mobile devices.

More than 700,000 people are now following the regular Bureau updates on Facebook. This has general information, topical discussions and stunning photographs. It also has videos and severe weather updates as well as information on hazards such as thunderstorms, cyclones and east coast lows.

Facebook is not used for warnings or daily forecasts but Twitter, with 73,000 followers, does play that role. Bureau tweets usually link to further information on the organisation’s website. There is a national Twitter account and one for each state and territory.