Catalyst with Shayle Kann How AI is changing weather forecasting
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Jan 2, 2026 In this engaging discussion, Peter Battaglia, Senior Director of Research at Google DeepMind’s sustainability program, dives into the revolutionary impact of AI on weather forecasting. He explains the challenges of predicting precipitation and wind, emphasizing the limitations of traditional models. Peter reveals how AI leverages novel data sources like social media and smartphones to enhance forecasting accuracy. Discover how these advancements could improve everything from renewable energy integration to disaster response, reshaping our economic decisions.
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Forecasting Is Two-Step: Observations Then Simulation
- Weather forecasting uses numerical approximations of fluid dynamics run on supercomputers to predict future states.
- Accurate current-state estimation from satellites and stations is as important as the prediction step itself.
A Researcher’s Path Into Weather
- Peter joined weather research from work on modeling complex simulations like fluids.
- He learned the field and admits he's a relative newcomer to operational weather.
Chaos Limits Certainty
- The atmosphere is chaotic, so tiny unknowns can cause large future differences and forecasts remain fundamentally uncertain.
- That uncertainty makes probabilistic forecasts (chance of rain, ranges) essential.