Weathersensing

Weathersensing is the practice and science of gathering and analyzing atmospheric data to describe current weather conditions and to forecast future states of the atmosphere. It encompasses a variety of measurement systems and data sources, ranging from traditional surface weather stations to advanced remote sensing technologies.

Ground-based networks provide surface observations of temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind speed and direction, and precipitation. Radiosondes carried by weather balloons measure vertical profiles of temperature, humidity, and pressure. Radar systems detect precipitation intensity and motion, while lidar and ceilometers assess cloud height and optical properties. Satellite sensors offer wide-area coverage, including atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles, cloud properties, and sea-surface temperatures. Ocean-based platforms such as weather buoys and ships contribute marine data. In-situ sensors on aircraft and drones add additional observational capabilities.

Collected data undergo quality control and are integrated through data assimilation into numerical weather prediction models, which generate short- to medium-range forecasts. Outputs support applications in aviation, agriculture, emergency management, and general public weather services, as well as climate monitoring and research.

Challenges include maintaining instrument calibration and data quality, ensuring comprehensive geographic coverage, data latency, interoperability and standardization across networks, and funding considerations. Emerging trends encompass crowdsourced observations, higher-resolution observations and models, satellite innovations, and hybrid approaches that combine physical models with machine learning to improve accuracy.