<p>Indeed, airlines are equipped to measure atmospheric data and then put into weather models. The WorldMeteorological Organization's program is called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_Meteorological_Data_Relay" rel="noreferrer">AMDAR</a>. Several articles highlight the impact that the lack of flights have had on the initialization of weather models.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/03/826848818/one-more-coronavirus-problem-accurate-weather-forecasts" rel="noreferrer">https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/03/826848818/one-more-coronavirus-problem-accurate-weather-forecasts</a></p>

<p><a href="https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/covid-19-forecast-how-grounded-flights-are-impacting-weather-forecasting-data/RB7HY6G5ONGE3EHROUKSKT4SB4/" rel="noreferrer">https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/covid-19-forecast-how-grounded-flights-are-impacting-weather-forecasting-data/RB7HY6G5ONGE3EHROUKSKT4SB4/</a></p>

<p>There are a few papers that explore the impact that aircraft data has on initialization:
<a href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/full/10.1175/MWR-D-17-0380.1" rel="noreferrer">https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/full/10.1175/MWR-D-17-0380.1</a>
<a href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/BAMS-D-14-00055.1" rel="noreferrer">https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/BAMS-D-14-00055.1</a>
<a href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/2009WAF2222321.1" rel="noreferrer">https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/2009WAF2222321.1</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-02T22:27:10.007Z
2020-05-02T22:27:10.007Z
BarocliniCplusplus
<p><a href="https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/q/2883/20404">Weather balloons</a>, as well as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_reconnaissance#Aircraft" rel="noreferrer">specially prepared aircrafts</a>, are used to retrieve several atmosphere parameters at different altitudes that are latter used to feed <a href="https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/q/19/20404">mathematical models</a> for weather prediction.</p>

<p>Nowadays airliners are already fitted with multiples sensors (static pressure, temperature, weather radar,..). Those airliners are flying almost all over the world continuously, and are thus able to provide tons of weather data. In many regions (inside <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_control_area" rel="noreferrer">TMA</a> and above) data can be retrieve from ground level to 12000m above mean sea level. Those data won't be as complete as data collected by weather balloons, but can be considered as additional data.
Yet, airliners are operated by private company and exchanging such data can be subjected to commercial contracts.</p>

<p>Are airliners, whose primary mission is not to collect weather data but to transport cargo or passengers, used to retrieve additional data to feed mathematical weather prediction models on a daily basis?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-02T12:40:03.023Z
@a_donda You know, GPS cannot measure aircraft velocity relative to the airmass, [which is the parameter useful for pilots](https://aviation.stackexchange.com/q/42612/3394)
Manu H
<weather-forecasting>
Are airliners sensors used to feed weather prediction models?
Manu H
# Are airliners sensors used to feed weather prediction models?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-05-02)

[Weather balloons](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/q/2883/20404), as well as [specially prepared aircrafts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_reconnaissance#Aircraft), are used to retrieve several atmosphere parameters at different altitudes that are latter used to feed [mathematical models](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/q/19/20404) for weather prediction.

Nowadays airliners are already fitted with multiples sensors (static pressure, temperature, weather radar,..). Those airliners are flying almost all over the world continuously, and are thus able to provide tons of weather data. In many regions (inside [TMA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_control_area) and above) data can be retrieve from ground level to 12000m above mean sea level. Those data won't be as complete as data collected by weather balloons, but can be considered as additional data.
Yet, airliners are operated by private company and exchanging such data can be subjected to commercial contracts.

Are airliners, whose primary mission is not to collect weather data but to transport cargo or passengers, used to retrieve additional data to feed mathematical weather prediction models on a daily basis?

**Tags:** weather-forecasting

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: @a_donda You know, GPS cannot measure aircraft velocity relative to the airmass, [which is the parameter useful for pilots](https://aviation.stackexchange.com/q/42612/3394)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-05-02. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

Indeed, airlines are equipped to measure atmospheric data and then put into weather models. The WorldMeteorological Organization's program is called [AMDAR](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_Meteorological_Data_Relay). Several articles highlight the impact that the lack of flights have had on the initialization of weather models.

<https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/03/826848818/one-more-coronavirus-problem-accurate-weather-forecasts>

<https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/covid-19-forecast-how-grounded-flights-are-impacting-weather-forecasting-data/RB7HY6G5ONGE3EHROUKSKT4SB4/>

There are a few papers that explore the impact that aircraft data has on initialization:
<https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/full/10.1175/MWR-D-17-0380.1>
<https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/BAMS-D-14-00055.1>
<https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/2009WAF2222321.1>


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