Despite our best efforts, accurately predicting the weather remains about as easy as accurately predicting the next winning Powerball numbers. But with the installation of a new type of humidity sensor, the fleets of commercial passenger jets that inhabit our skies could soon provide meteorologists an unprecedented look at the sky—in real-time.
Developed through a partnership between Aeronautical Radio Incorporated (ARINC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and SpectraSensors, the Water Vapor Sensing System (WVSS-II) will take hundreds of humidity samples over the course of each flight and relay that data to the National Weather Service.
You see, relative humidity levels at various heights within the atmosphere provide vital hints to upcoming weather patterns. Forecasters use this data to predict the timing of fog, cloud cover, cloud ceilings, and all the other information airlines need to fly safely. And instead of employing traditional weather balloons stationed around the country to do this—which only sample twice a day—the NOAA wants to use planes themselves. They're already up there—making thousands of flights every day—so we might as well put them to use, right?
The humidity data the new sensor system sends to the National Weather Service.
"Water vapor is the most rapid-changing and under-sampled element in the atmosphere," Carl Weiss, an aviation meteorologist for NOAA, said in a press statement. "On the heels of a tumultuous weather year, WVSS-II is part of a larger initiative contributing to Weather Ready Nation, our initiative focused on building community resilience in the face of extreme weather events. WVSS-II data upon takeoffs and landings allow forecasters to monitor and stay on top of how moisture is changing in the atmosphere, specifically in severe weather situations when preparedness is especially important."
The project is still in its early stages, since only Southwest Airlines has signed on so far. However, should this proof of concept work, other carriers are likely to follow—and our ability to forecast the weather will get a huge boost in accuracy. And that won't just help warn us of impending weather events—it could also put an end to the ubiquitous panic-mongering, too.