MetService to supply road weather information to New Zealand road alliance

The Milford Road Alliance, a partnership between the New Zealand Transport Agency and Downer NZ to ensure the safe and efficient management of activities on State Highway 94, is to implement new and enhanced weather forecast services from MetService. Climbing through the Southern Alps, State Highway 94 is one of the highest highways in New Zealand. It includes the Milford Road which stretches from Te Anau through Fiordland National Park to Milford Sound and the high-altitude alpine conditions, a steep and r
May 9, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
The Milford Road Alliance, a partnership between the 6296 New Zealand Transport Agency and Downer NZ to ensure the safe and efficient management of activities on State Highway 94, is to implement new and enhanced weather forecast services from MetService


Climbing through the Southern Alps, State Highway 94 is one of the highest highways in New Zealand. It includes the Milford Road which stretches from Te Anau through Fiordland National Park to Milford Sound and the high-altitude alpine conditions, a steep and rugged terrain that can be beset by floods and avalanches, can pose significant risks.

To keep the road safely open as much as possible, the Alliance operates specialised weather and environmental data acquisition devices at both road and mountain levels. Information from these systems is supplied to MetService forecasters to provide regular expert interpretation.

For the 2017 winter season, MetService is providing the Alliance with several new and enhanced forecast services, including severe weather threat matrices covering the threat of snow, strong winds, and heavy rain with free air freezing level (FAFL). In addition, animating rainfall, snow and cloud ceiling forecast maps are being provided.  Site-specific rainfall and temperature probability forecasts complete the picture in term of value-added forecast services, while significant improvements to the distribution and communication of data and forecasts have been made.

The new services complement those currently provided by MetService to the Alliance and are designed to assist informed decision-making about the management of the road at an operational level including mitigating the risks posed by avalanches.

Air Quality & Weather Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Outsourcing security weakness for Sweden’s driver and vehicle data
    October 24, 2017
    The security of driver and vehicle data hit the headlines this summer in Sweden and its authorities are still dealing with the fallout. David Crawford reports. epercussions from Sweden’s vehicle data outsourcing scandal continue to reverberate. Transportstyrelsen, the government’s transport agency, came under fire this summer for risking the personal security of over five million motorists by failing to implement full security checks on personnel in other countries to whom individual work packages could
    Read More
  • San Diego: Let there be (street)light
    March 30, 2020
    The influence of intelligent streetlights is spreading. David Crawford finds that San Diego’s deployment – and attendant legislation – may offer a blueprint for other cities going forward
    Read More
  • Waze to warn drivers at rail crossings
    September 30, 2020
    US rail operator Norfolk Southern targets areas with 'history of vehicle-train incidents'
    Read More
  • Cubic completes acquisition of Serco transport solutions
    November 27, 2013
    Serco’s transport solutions business will become a part of Cubic Transportation Systems following Cubic Corporation’s acquisition of the business for an enterprise value of US$70 million. Serco’s primarily a UK-based transport technology and services business and had revenues in the last calendar year of approximately $67 million.
    Read More

Highlighted Content