Pagasa to use AI in weather forecasting soon

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) recorded a decrease in the water level of eight dams in Luzon as of 6 a.m. on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. (Photo from Pagasa)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in weather forecasting soon, Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum said on Wednesday.

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Solidum made the pronouncement during the Senate subpanel on finance’s deliberation on the proposed 2025 budget of the Department of Science and Technology.

“Soon we will now operate, for our research program, to use artificial intelligence in weather forecasting. So instead of every three hours computation, we are aiming to provide a forecast every 15 minutes,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“Once we are able to develop the AI-improved weather forecast, for example 15 minutes ang target natin, every five days meron pong forecast ang Pagasa ng rain [pero] gusto naming maging 14 days ‘yun with AI,” he added.

(Once we are able to develop the AI-improved weather forecast, for example we are eyeing to release a forecast every 15 minutes, but every five days Pagasa releases rain forecast, but we want to expand that to 14 days with the use of AI.)

Prior to Solidum’s confirmation, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, who presided over the hearing, asked why other countries, particularly in Europe as well as ASEAN, can detect rain at particular times of the day.

Pagasa Administrator Nathaniel Servando said in terms of monitoring infrastructure, the government gave Pagasa support in terms of putting up more facilities through Pagasa Modernization.

Servando said Pagasa now has 19 radars covering the whole country.

“Of course, there are other facilities like coastal radars. Hindi lang namin tinitingnan yung mga industries or general public, but yung sectors like the aviation sector, maritime industry,” he added.

(We are not only monitoring industries or the general public, but sectors like the aviation sector [and] maritime industry.)

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