About

The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) is a governmental institution under the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources. IMO has a long-term advisory role with the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management of the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police and issues public alerts about impending natural hazards. The institute participates in international weather and aviation alert systems, such as the London Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC), and the Icelandic Aviation Oceanic Area Control Center (OACC). IMO is a State Volcano Observatory nominated by the Icelandic Transport Authority on behalf of ICAO. IMO provides information to the European alarm system for extreme weather, www.meteoalarm.eu. We have an active role in the ARISTOTLE (All Risk Integrated System Towards Trans-boundary holistic Early-warning) pilot project, which is a European collaboration of meteorological and geophysical institutes with the purpose of providing advice on multi-hazards to the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC). An effective early warning system is important for IMO to be able to warn the authorities, stakeholders, and the public about natural hazards, with the aim of minimizing the vulnerability of society. The research focus of IMO is on weather and climate, atmospheric processes, glacier and avalanche studies, hydrological systems, earthquake and volcanic processes, and geohazards. IMO also focuses on research in multi-parameter geophysical monitoring to develop more accurate forecasts of hazardous events.

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