Finnish Meteorological Institute

Climate change and its impacts are central research topics in the Climate Systems Research Unit of the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI). In the Climate System Modelling Group, we develop and use a wide range of different models, among others Earth system, process, regional climate and integrated assessment models. We produce scenarios of climate change for several purposes and our group’s climate simulations are also used to support regional and global adaptation and impact studies of climate change, among others the Sixth Assessment Report of the IPCC.

Contribution to HERCULES

Weather-related road and pedestrian accidents due to slippery road conditions are a major public health concern in northern countries. With FMI’s energy balance model RoadSurf, we can simulate driving and pedestrian road conditions, like slipperiness, ice cover or driving difficulty, in the past, presence and future, using the regional climate model HCLIM. These variables can be used to assess the future public health risks and costs associated with slippery driving and walking conditions.