It can be a tough summer to fly. more passengers than ever It will fly, according to the Transportation Security Administration. And the weather so far this year hasn’t been exactly supportive.
a blizzard warning Sudden turbulence injured 36 people on Hawaiian Airlines flight to Honolulu in San Diego; 25 inches of heavy rain hit Fort Lauderdale, Florida airport: skies have confused forecasters and frustrated travelers rice field.
And as the climate continues to change, it may only get worse. . weather companypart of IBM that develops weather technology.
So will flights become more crowded and delays more common? Not necessarily. New sensors, satellites and data modeling powered by artificial intelligence will help travelers face more erratic weather.
Better data, smarter software
The travel industry “is interested in getting the weather forecast right because it affects everything,” said Amy McGovern, director of the National Science Foundation. AI Institute for Research for Research on Trustworthy AI in Weather, Climate and Coastal Oceanography at the University of Oklahoma.
These better weather forecasts rely on a type of artificial intelligence called machine learning, which essentially allows computer programs to use data to improve themselves. In this case, companies create software that uses past and current weather data to make forecasts. The algorithm then compares that prediction to the result and adjusts its calculations from there. By repeating this over and over, the software will make increasingly accurate predictions.
The amount of data that feeds these types of software is enormous. For example, IBM’s modeling system integrates information from 100 other models. To this he adds wind, temperature and humidity data from his over 250,000 weather stations in commercial buildings, cell towers and private homes around the world. In addition, it incorporates satellite and radar reports from sources such as the National Weather Service, NOAA, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Then some of the most powerful computers in the world process all this information.
Here’s how all of this can improve your future trips.
Safer and calmer flight
The sky is getting rougher.according to Recent reports According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, “Severe turbulence at typical airplane cruising altitudes can be two to three times normal.”
Knowing where these obstacles are and how to avoid them is “mission critical for airlines,” Buxtein said.
Pilots have long radioed air traffic controllers that they encountered turbulence. This gave the pilots a chance to light up their seatbelt signs in time for the stormy air. There is a possibility
Tomorrow.iois a Boston-based weather information company that received a $19 million grant from the U.S. Air Force to launch more than 20 weather satellites, starting two by the end of this year and completing in 2025. intend to do something. We report worldwide, covering several areas currently unmonitored. The company says the system reports his status every hour, a significant improvement over the data currently available.
New weather information will be used far beyond the travel industry. However, pilots will have more complete information in the cockpit, said Dan Slagen, the company’s chief marketing officer.
The turbulence that injured dozens on a Hawaiian Airlines flight last December was due to “evolving thunderstorms that weren’t reported quickly enough,” Dr. McGovern said. She explained that such situations can be avoided if they occur and reports come more frequently.
Less swell on the ground
The FAA About three-quarters of all flight delays are weather-relatedHeavy rainfall, high winds, poor visibility and lightning strikes can all wreak havoc on the tarmac, so airports are finding better ways to keep track of them.
weather stemBased in Florida, it reports weather data and uses artificial intelligence to analyze it and make recommendations. The company’s chief executive, Ed Mansouri, said the company is also installing a small hyperlocal weather station, which costs about $20,000, one-fifth of his previous-generation system. It is sold.
Airports receive detailed weather information all the time, and WeatherSTEM is one of the few companies that uses artificial intelligence to capture that data and transform it into advice. For example, it analyzes reports from a global lightning monitoring network showing instantaneous electromagnetic activity to provide guidance on when planes should avoid landing and takeoff and when ground crew should evacuate. The software also helps reduce unnecessary airport closures, as lightning path analysis is more accurate than past airports.
The company’s weather stations may include mini-Doppler radar systems that display precipitation and its movement in more detail than standard systems. A photovoltaic device that monitors factors such as wind speed and direction. and a digital video camera. Florida’s Tampa International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and Orlando International Airport all use new mini weather stations.
Mansouri said lower prices will make the equipment available to smaller airports, allowing them to improve operations during storms, while larger airports will install multiple ministations. It is possible. Airports are often spread out over a wide area, so conditions, especially wind, can vary, making the device a valuable tool, he said.
More accurate data and more sophisticated analytics are also helping airlines improve cold weather flights. Airplane de-icing is costly, polluting and time-consuming, so when a sudden change in weather forces him to de-ice twice, it affects revenue, the environment and on-time departures.
Working with airlines such as JetBlue, Tomorrow.io analyzes weather data to help ground crews use the most efficient chemical deicing sprays. The system can, for example, recommend how much to dilute a chemical with water based on how quickly the temperature changes. The system also helps crews determine if a thicker chemical treatment, called anti-icing, is needed, and determines the best time to apply spray to limit contamination and costs.
Dr. McGovern’s team at the University of Oklahoma is working on software that uses machine learning to issue hailstorm warnings more than 30 minutes in advance, as opposed to the current 10-12 minutes. This could give the crew more time to protect the plane. This is especially important in places like Oklahoma, where she works. “Golf balls can fall out of the sky and do real damage,” she said Dr. McGovern.
More on-time departures and smoother flights are probably just the beginning. Dr McGovern said advances in weather technology are “snowballing”.
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