The weather knows no boundaries – that’s why national weather centres, including the Meteorological Office of the Malta International Airport, join forces in providing a European website that gives advice on extreme or hazardous weather.

The address of the website is www.meteoalarm.eu.

It is intended for anyone travelling throughout Europe and deals specifically with extreme or hazardous weather.

Diagrams and colour-coded maps of Europe show at a glance where the weather might be, or whether it could soon become dangerous.

Coastal events, gales, torrential rain, snow and ice, thunder and lightning, fog, and extreme temperatures are all indicated as well as weather conditions that could lead to higher risk, such as storm surges and high waves, forest fires, and avalanches.

The level of risk is colour-coded.

Hazardous events relevant to Malta include coastal events, gales, heavy rainfall, ice, thunder and lightning, fog, extreme temperatures, storm surges and high waves.

The website and colour coding have been designed so that everyone may instantly understand these messages and take the necessary precautions, whichever country is involved and whatever the language spoken.

The information has been standardised and all the countries have agreed on a uniform colour coding, based on likely damage, disruption and danger.

Users of the website may surf for more detailed information on the web pages of the cooperating weather service centres, and in the case of Malta, it links to MIA’s Meteorological Office webpage in which more detailed weather observations and forecasts can be found.