Scientists have developed an AI system called ‘nowcasting’ that can detect if it will rain in the next two hours.
The AI, built by researchers from Google’s own London-based AI laboratory DeepMimd in partnership with the Met Office, can make more accurate short-term predictions not only for rain, but also for critical storms and floods.
According to the research, the AI system learned to identify a common pattern of precipitation from UK radar maps from 2016 to 2018, and it was tested on 2019 maps, which showed it was accurate 89% of the time, as confirmed by 50 Met Office meteorologists.
DeepMind Senior Scientist Shakir Mohamed said: “It’s very early days but this trial shows that AI could be a powerful tool, enabling forecasters to spend less time trawling through ever-growing piles of prediction data and instead focus on better understanding the implications of their forecasts. This will be integral for mitigating the adverse effects of climate change today, supporting adaptation to changing weather patterns and potentially saving lives.”
For more information, read the original story on the BBC.