at 2:14 PM by Mallory Schnell

Investing in Forecast Research

The Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang put out a recent article featuring guest commentary from Thomas Bogdan, President of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. In this article, Bogdan stresses the importance of continued investment in weather forecast research for the well-being of our society.

The reason this topic came about is because the Federal Reserve is closing in on making a decision about raising interest rates; weather is one of the areas they take into account.

The accuracy of weather forecasting has greatly increased over the years, allowing alerts and warnings to come out earlier, saving lives in the process. This improved accuracy is due to evolving technology, driven by taxpayer investments and research. As Bogdan put it:

The expanding capabilities are driven by a unique, three-way partnership among private weather companies, federal research centers, and universities. The vast majority of the advances are the result of research initiated at our academic institutions and government agencies, utilizing federally funded technologies such as radars, satellites, and supercomputers.

Weather can greatly impact airlines, businesses, schools, and entire communities. In terms of national impacts, Bogdan commented:

In the case of this winter, some analysts believe first quarter GDP may be reduced by as much as 1 percentage point from the snow’s impact. Airline losses topped $2 billion because of flight cancellations, housing starts declined, and retail sales fell in each of the winter months – the first time sales declined for three months in a row since 2012.

Continued investment in weather forecasting research is imperative in keeping our society prepared in the case of powerful storms. For the entire article, check out the Capital Weather Gang’s website.