Uses of Telecommunications & ICT Weather Forecasting

Consists of 3 main elements: measuring & recording data, modelling a forecast from the data, producing the forecast information

Measuring & Recording data accurate forecasting requires recent & current data: –satellite images –temperatures –humidity –rainfall –wind speed & direction –cloud cover –atmospheric pressure –sunshine measurements taken at many locations around the world –at regular intervals –using satellites, ground, buoys at sea, balloons

Modelling a forecast data transferred around the world by high speed telecoms –Global Telecommunications System (GTS) –run by World Meteorological Organization complex computer models used to predict future weather models run on powerful supercomputers –because of vast amounts of data to be processed model uses current data and recent changes in atmospheric conditions as input model forecasts the likely future changes in conditions short-term forecasts can be produced in 15 minutes –this then used to produce forecast for next 15 mins …. –

Producing a forecast forecast = prediction of future weather forecast usually selected from a website –by entering a postcode/town or selecting an area from a map most forecasts will display: –temperature –rainfall (or snow) –wind speed and direction –visibility –cloud cover variety of forecasts usually generated: –hour-by-hour, single day, 5-day, 10-day long-term forecasts less accurate than short-term

Producing a forecast