The British government plans to invest $ 1.6 billion to create the most powerful supercomputer in the world to provide more accurate weather and climate forecasts.

The new supercomputer will help forecast storms more accurately, select the most appropriate locations for flood protection facilities and predict global climate change. The new supercomputer will also provide better weather forecasts for the airports as well as more detailed information on the energy sector.

The British Meteorological Service's current supercomputers will be operational by the end of 2022.

The new supercomputer will be six times more efficient than the current one, the government said.

"We will be ahead of the rest," said Penny Endersby, executive director of the Met Office.

"Ultimately, it will make a difference for each individual, each department, each industry, because people see the forecast constantly improving. "