Michael Cranston Email & Phone Number

Perth, United Kingdom

Lead expert in Scotland in flood forecasting supporting the development of future flooding services. Responsible for the development of SEPA’s long term approach to flood early warning, ensuring business continuity and coordinating the development of industry best practice in flood forecasting and warning.Managing a programme of science and digital projects including: Programme Manager for the Future Flood and Incident Messaging Service (FFIMS) a £5m multi-hazard early warning system. Delivering digital transformation of services incorporating Floodline, the Scottish Flood Forecast, Business Continuity Messaging and Water Scarcity across Scotland.Lead Hydrometeorologist for new surface water flood forecasting capabilities, author of the Discovery research report and leading the development of the new system PREDICTOR (PREDICTing flooding impacts from cOnvenctive Rainfall).Partner in the NERC EMERGE (multi-hazards and emergent risk in Northern Europe’s remote and vulnerable regions) Project (2021-2023) – a partnership with the Icelandic Meteorological Office, Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, British Geological Survey and University of Strathclyde.

Dundee, United Kingdom

Contributing to research activities with the Department of Geography and Environmental Science including research into the effectiveness of flood warning in Scotland and communicating early warnings with uncertainty.

London, England, United Kingdom

Honorary Secretary of the British Hydrological Society, a specialist knowledge society of the Institution of Civil Engineers, for the term between 2018 and 2020. A Trustee of the Society and a member of the Executive Committee.Principal responsibility for the development of a programme of national science meetings which included a conference on challenges and opportunities in flood forecasting and an innovative webinar series on future hydrology in a changing environment.

Stirling, United Kingdom

Head of the Scottish Office based at the Stirling University Innovation Park delivering flood risk management projects internationally and across Scotland.A hydrometeorologist leading projects in the development of flood forecasting services across Britain and Northern Ireland. Projects included supporting the Flood Forecasting Centre in their Continued Service Improvement Programme in delivering state-of-the-art hydrometeorological services across England and Wales; development of the coastal flood forecasting for communities standard (Environment Agency); leading the development of new flood forecasting systems for the Rivers Findhorn and Lossie (SEPA); and developing an impact-based flood forecasting system for Lough Neagh and the Bann catchment in Northern Ireland (Department for Infrastructure).Leading the company’s research capability on international flood early warning projects, collaborations included understanding the effectiveness of flood warning services in Scotland (University of Dundee); developing approaches in communicating probabilistic flood forecasts in Nepal (Practical Action); developing multi-hazard early warning systems across Europe (Anywhere H2020); towards improved surface water flood forecasts in Scotland (University of Strathclyde); and scoping the development of flood forecasting systems for the Greater Wellington region of New Zealand.

Perth, United Kingdom

Manager of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Unit which had responsibility for flood warning strategy; research and application of improved approaches to river, coastal and surface water flood forecasting; and the management and leadership of the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service – a strategic partnership with the Met Office. This included the direction and guidance of a team of technical specialists involved in the development of an operational hydrometeorology expertise. Responsibilities also included the management of various operational flood forecasting and warning systems including FEWS Scotland (Delft FEWS) and Floodline direct warning (HTK hosted Horizon system) which was awarded the Holyrood Connect ICT Citizen Award in 2016. Key developments included delivering flood forecasting science developments and flood warning strategies in support of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act, including: the development of countrywide flood forecasting capabilities (Grid-to-Grid); ensemble-based hydrometeorological forecasting approaches for risk-based emergency response communication; the development of coastal flood warning schemes for the Firths of Forth and Tay and Moray coastal communities; and new surface water forecasting and alerting capabilities trialed during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Business Change Manager for SEPA’s Flood Warnings Direct Programme. Leading on operational developments for delivering timely and effective direct flood warnings to the public and professional partners in Scotland all through the development of community based flood warning areas.Project Manager for a scoping study into improved flood resilience through joint forecasting with the Met Office, involving consultation with other European initiatives such as SCHAPI in France and the Flood Forecasting Centre. Lead on a number of strategic flood forecasting projects including major new flood warning schemes for the North East of Scotland.

Perth, United Kingdom

Specialising in the development of flood forecasting and warning systems and the business lead in the creation and implementation of the Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) Scotland. Project Manager for the development of best practice in flood forecasting in Scotland. Technical lead for the introduction of flood warning schemes for the Strathclyde Region of Scotland; development of rainfall runoff modelling (PDM) and in real time application of radar and quantitative precipitation forecasts for flood predictions within an operational environment.

Developing and delivering new business opportunities in the field of hydrological and flood monitoring systems in Scotland (Clackmannanshire and Aberdeenshire Council) and in Nepal. Project lead on a number of contracts for various clients including contributing to competitive bidding.

Perth, United Kingdom

Hydrologist working as part of a team with responsibility for hydrological monitoring, flood warning, low flow estimation and flood risk assessment.

Stirling

Member of the Scottish Office of the NERC government research organisation (formerly known as the Institute of Hydrology). Involved in various hydrological monitoring and research studies including the Balquhidder experimental catchment study, the Land Ocean Interaction Study (LOIS) in the Tweed basin and a team member for an expedition to the Indian Himalayas studying glacial river sediments.

Darlington

Mphil, Flood Forecasting

Bsc Hons Environmental Management And Technology