In the complex world of aviation, accurate weather forecasting is crucial for ensuring safety, efficiency, and operational resilience. Meteomatics, a leading provider of high-precision weather forecasts, is at the forefront of this critical field. Through its innovative solutions, Meteomatics addresses the challenges of forecasting weather conditions that can significantly impact air traffic management, especially in regions with rapidly changing weather patterns like Singapore.
Meteomatics x AIR Lab: A Catalyst for Innovation and Research
Since October 2023, Meteomatics partnered with AIR Lab, a collaboration aimed at advancing research into the precision of weather data and its influence on air traffic management (ATM). This partnership is focused on developing a weather forecasting model, proof-of-concept, tailored to the unique context of Singapore, a country known for its complex and rapidly changing weather conditions.
AIR Lab plays a crucial role in this endeavor, not just as a collaborator but as an enabler of innovation. The Lab provides a research environment that accelerates the integration of new technologies, fosters agile methodologies, and makes it possible to access to extensive weather data and cloud resources. By facilitating a space where experimentation and rapid iteration are encouraged, AIR Lab supports Meteomatics in creating a model that meets the specific needs of Singapore’s air traffic management system.
Through AIR Lab’s open and collaborative framework, Meteomatics can leverage funding, access to critical data, and cloud-based computational resources, enabling them to conduct analysis and refine their forecasting models more effectively. This partnership exemplifies how AIR Lab acts as a bridge between cutting-edge technology providers and the operational needs of the air traffic management industry, driving advancements in research and development.
The Impact of Weather on air traffic management operations – A Focus on Singapore
Weather-related incidents can have significant operational and financial impacts on the aviation industry. For example, adverse weather conditions can lead to increased fuel costs due to delays, additional rebooking expenses due to missed connections, and higher maintenance costs.
The advantage of a high-resolution weather model, like the one developed in partnership with Meteomatics, lies in its ability to enhance operational efficiency and robustness. Such models can help reduce the impact on Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) during adverse weather conditions, decrease unnecessary fuel consumption during holding patterns, and enable better-informed decision-making.
Methodology and Implementation: Singapore’s Weather Forecasting Model
The initial phase of this proof-of-concept focuses on a specific area of 400 x 400 km, with a forecast horizon of 12 hours and hourly forecast updates. This model is designed to support Singapore’s aerodrome by providing accurate updates of the thunderstorm forecast.
The Singapore model, SING1k, is part of Meteomatics’ suite of high-resolution weather models, unique in the market for their 1-kilometer resolution and hourly updates. This constellation of models currently includes EURO1k, covering the entire European continent and parts of North Africa, and ND1k, for North Dakota in the United States, with more on the way. Meteomatics runs these models in-house and ensures lightning-fast delivery through its Weather API.
High resolution doesn’t just provide more detail; it also offers greater accuracy. In response to industry needs, Meteomatics developed specialized Convection (Thunderstorm) and Turbulence parameters, designed to run on top of the 1k models, including SING1k. For the aviation industry, knowing where, when, and how strong convection or severe turbulence will develop is crucial. Meteomatics’ 1k models enable proactive mitigation of these risks, increasing situational awareness for flight dispatchers, air traffic controllers, and pilots using Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) in the cockpit. This helps ensure the safety of crews, passengers, and aircraft while reducing costs associated with holding patterns, route deviations, and cancellations.
The collaboration between Meteomatics and AIR Lab marks a significant advancement in weather forecasting for air traffic management in Singapore. By combining advanced technology with a tailored approach, this partnership aims to minimize operational risks and financial impacts of adverse weather, thereby enhancing the safety and efficiency of air traffic management.
AIR Lab’s agile environment, quick access to operational data, and commitment to innovation create an ideal foundation for this collaboration. This setup allows for the rapid and secure integration of cutting-edge solutions, driving continuous improvements in air traffic management.
About Meteomatics :
Meteomatics specializes in delivering high-resolution commercial weather forecasts, including power output forecasting for renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydropower.
By combining current and historical weather data from a wide range of sources—including weather models, satellite data, precipitation radar information, ocean data, and ground-based station observations—Meteomatics provides a comprehensive view of the weather. This data is delivered through their advanced Weather API, which offers continuous access to global high-resolution weather, ocean, environment, and climate data, along with historical records and real-time forecasts.
