US citizens living in the hurricane danger zone may soon have access to a warning system courtesy of Google, it has been revealed.Speaking to Reuters, Bill Read, the director of the National Hurricane Centre in the US, stated that there is a planned programme under which a Google application will be coupled with storm surge data to provide people with information concerning whether their home is threatened by a particular storm.
He commented: "People can plug in their address and see at what level they are at risk."
According to Mr Read, it is hoped that the service will available in time for the coming Atlantic hurricane season, which is due to start at the beginning of June and run until November.
Meteorologists use a computerised model that estimates the height of storm surges by taking into account a number of the storm's characteristics, such as its size, forward speed and wind strength.
Reportedly, the idea to make the information available to the public stemmed from the volume of calls local emergency managers and weather forecast offices receive concerning what the flooding will be like at people's houses.
Mr Read stated: "We're not going to know that off the top of our heads. So we can say 'go to our web site, go to such and such', and it is there."
There has been particular concern in the US over flooding after Hurricane Kartrina struck in 2005. During the storm, the New Orleans levee system failed and many people lost their lives and homes.
