New warning system provides better protection against flooding

Denmark will face more frequent and severe floods as a result of climate change. We are experiencing warmer summers and more cloudbursts. Winters are becoming wetter, with more precipitation falling as rain instead of snow. Therefore, DMI is launching a new flood warning system that can predict floods from rivers and lakes up to 24 hours before a severe weather event.

“Climate change is hitting Denmark with greater force and frequency. This places new demands on our preparedness and our ability to respond quickly. With DMI’s new warning system, we are taking an important step in the right direction. The warnings will give citizens, municipalities, police, and emergency services a better opportunity to protect themselves against the destructive forces of water,” says Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Lars Aagaard.

The Contribution of Denmark’s Environmental Portal

As part of the 2023 Finance Act, DKK 189.6 million was allocated to strengthen flood warnings. A key task was to improve the infrastructure surrounding the many IoT sensors in nature.

Danmarks Miljøportal has delivered the shared public database and IoT standard behind the warning system. The database consolidates and harmonizes data from several different sources and makes it easily accessible to authorities and emergency services.

Today, the system consists of data from almost 1,400 IoT loggers distributed across around 55 municipalities, utilities, and state organizations, including the Agency for Green Transition and Aquatic Environment (SGAV), the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (MST), Thy National Park, and DTU Aqua. These near real-time measurements enable DMI to issue more precise warnings.

The measurement data can also be found in Kemidata.

Launch

The new warning system was launched on September 1, 2025, and is available both in the DMI app and on dmi.dk.