An American company will build the latest super-computer for the Bureau of Meteorology to deliver better and more accurate forecasts.
Cray Inc has successfully tendered to build BOM's eighth super-computer since 1988, for $77 million.
It will come into service by mid-2016.
Environment Minister Greg Hunt says it will have about 16 times the computing power of the existing model, and will greatly improve the BOM's ability to provide forecasts and weather warnings.
"This will enable the bureau to issue forecasts and warnings more often, and with greater certainty and precision than ever before, giving the community and emergency services unprecedented information, particularly prior to and during severe and extreme weather," Mr Hunt said.
"Every summer, we see how vital bureau services are in warning of weather associated with bushfires, thunderstorms, tropical cyclones, flooding, rain and dangerous winds.
"Our nation is always going to be vulnerable to these events, and the bureau gives us the information we need to plan and act."
Cray is a pioneering super-computing firm that was established in the US state of Wisconsin in 1972.
The tender provides for the specialist IT hardware required for the super-computer along with a new BOM data centre in Melbourne.
The BOM already produces three-hourly forecasts for every point in a 6km grid across Australia.
Last year, it issued 400,000 forecasts and 17,000 warnings.
