Google is using a new AI model to forecast tropical cyclones and working with the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) to test it out, The Verge reported.
Google DeepMind and Google Research launched a new website today called Weather Lab to share AI weather models that Google is developing. It says its new, experimental AI-based model for forecasting cyclones — also called typhoons or hurricanes when they reach a certain strength — can generate 50 different scenarios for a storm’s possible track, size, and intensity up to 15 days in advance. The NHC is working with Google to evaluate the effectiveness of the model.
The collaboration comes after the Trump administration and DOGE slashed the National Weather Service’s staff and capacity for federal climate and weather research. Other companies and weather agencies are also exploring whether AI can improve forecasts, but technological advances so far don’t eliminate the need for traditional weather models.
Google released a research paper today, which has yet to be peer-reviewed, on how its tropical cyclone model works. It claims that its model’s predictions are at least a accurate as those of traditional physics-based models. We’ll have to see what the National Hurricane Center’s rating of it is as the Atlantic hurricane season churns through November.
9TO5 Google reported: Another place AI is making a particular big impact is weather forecasting. Google is continuing its work in the area with a new Weather Lab website and experimental cyclone, or hurricane, predictions.
Weather Lab comes from Google DeepMind and Google Research, with this interactive website featuring AI weather models, including an experimental AI-based tropical cyclone model that can “predict a cyclone’s formation, track, intensity, size and shape — generating 50 possible scenarios, up to 15 days ahead.” Cyclones. Hurricanes, and typhoons are all tropical storms, with what they are called dependent on their location.
Based on stochastic neural networks, it is “often more accurate than current physics-based methods” at predicting cyclone track and intensity. Goggle worked with the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) to scientifically validate the work.
First and foremost, Weather Lab is a research tool and “not intended for consumer use.” It’s meant to help weather agencies and emergency service experts better anticipate a cyclone’s path and intensity.” A persistent message at the bottom says “For official weather forecasts and warnings, refer to your local meteorological agency or national weather service.”
CNET reported: On Thursday, Google announced a new advancement powered by artificial intelligence that could change the way we predict hurricanes. It was developed by Google DeepMind, the company’s London-based AI research lab.
The cyclone model can predict the formation, track, intensity, size and shape of the storm. And it can create 50 possible scenarios up to 15 days ahead.
Weather Lab’s website lets experts compare AI weather models to physic-based models from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts to get more cyclone information sooner. If experts are able to predict the storm earlier than a physical model, the extra time could help you and experts prepare for the impact of storms, especially those that could be life threatening.