December | 2014
A small sensor on the outer walls of a house in a tornado-prone region is connected with beacon technology to other similar sensors in the area. These sensors measure weather factors and relay their observations to a supercomputer, which is connected to satellite instruments. Based on the location, these sensors work in tandem with the supercomputer to predict the occurrence of tornadoes based on air density and dust particles present in the air. Timely warnings are sent out, saving lives and minimizing damage.
New age weather forecasting technology is in the process of reinventing itself to be able to predict disasters like Hurricane Sandy, Hudhud, flash floods, and twisters. For instance, previous computer weather models allowed meteorologists to predict the weather for just 3 days in an accurate fashion. This can now span more than 25 days thanks to the multitudes of data available. Computer models with faster processors such as the Global Forecast System (GFS), the North American Mesoscale Model (NAM), and the European and the Canadian models, predict weather changes based on the atmospheric readings and the dynamic factors that affect it, all obtained from global data points. Meteorologists can select models from millions of iterations and decode the possibility of a storm.
Apart from computer models, newfangled sensitive radar technology measures air density and aims to predict the occurrence of hurricanes and twisters well before time, by working in tandem with satellite technology. Some researchers are using the Global Positioning System (GPS), by measuring the bend in the GPS beam as it enters the atmosphere. This data is then cross-calibrated with data from satellite instruments to provide accurate real-time temperature readings. GPS technology is aimed to fill the gap created by the lack of many ground-based meteorological stations in remote locations.
Another example of the leaps made in weather forecasting technology is called Even Newer Dynamics for General Atmospheric Modelling of the Environment (ENDGame). It aims to measure characteristics such as wind speed, barometric pressure and cloud cover from across a large region to ensure that weather prediction is spot on. ENDGame uses big data to manage enormous data sets from weather stations and even those obtained from car sensors. Supercomputing is used to produce computer models based on this data. These models draw on nearly millions of weather observations, including those from satellites to generate relevant information.
Apart from sophisticated algorithms, big data, and supercomputing, other efforts in game changing technology involves hurricane-hunter aircrafts that measure wind speeds and cloud formations, and balloons with GPS devices that soar to 22,000 feet to measure pressure, temperature, humidity and wind. As climate change makes weather patterns erratic, weather forecasting systems are adopting new technologies to provide useful, speedy and timely information. With such revolutionary changes being observed in the technological sector, it is becoming increasingly realistic to avoid weather-related disasters altogether.
What are your thoughts on new age weather forecasting systems and their benefits? Please share your thoughts in the section below.
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