Google AI model now accurately predicts weather for up to 15 days

A new weather forecasting system using artificial intelligence can now predict weather for up to 15 days with more accuracy and speed, a Google lab has said. This could help save lives as extreme weather, caused by climate change, becomes more common.

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GenCast, created by Google's DeepMind research lab in London, did better than the current top weather prediction system, the company said on Wednesday.

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is known for making accurate weather predictions for 35 countries. But DeepMind said GenCast was more accurate in over 97% of the 1,320 tests from 2019, when both systems were compared.

GenCast used 40 years of weather data like temperature, wind speed, and air pressure from 1979 to 2018 to learn how to forecast the weather. It can now predict the weather for the next 15 days in just 8 minutes, while the current model takes hours to do the same.

"GenCast gives better forecasts for regular weather and extreme events, up to 15 days ahead," DeepMind said. Scientists have warned that extreme weather is happening more because of climate change.

Last year, wildfires in Hawaii killed about 100 people, and locals said they didn’t get any warning in time. A heatwave in Morocco this summer killed at least 21 people in just 24 hours. In September, Hurricane Helene killed 237 people in Florida and other parts of the U.S.

DeepMind said GenCast worked better than the current system when predicting extreme heat, cold, and high winds.

"More accurate weather forecasts can help officials protect lives, reduce damage, and save money," DeepMind said.