Systems and methods for forecasting weather

• US 10,670,771 B1
• Filed: 07/22/2016
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (University of Alabama System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama For and On Behalf of The University of Alabama In Hunstville
• Inventors: Mecikalski, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Satanovsky, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fairbanks, Brent A.
• Application Number:
  US15/217,731
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09

Abstract

A weather forecasting system may receive satellite image samples and identify an updraft and components of the updraft within a cloud. These satellite image samples are collected over time (e.g., at 30 second to 1 minute time intervals). The system may identify an area of rotation and/or divergence at cloud top in a cumulus cloud or mature convective storm over time by comparing the samples and determine a parameter indicative of the updraft based on the area of rotation and divergence. The system may estimate aspects of the environment related to storm development and predict the occurrence of a weather event in the future based on the parameter and generate an output indicative of the occurrence.

Claims

1. A weather forecasting system, comprising:

memory for storing satellite image data defining a plurality of samples, each of the samples defining a satellite image;

at least one processor configured to compare the samples and to identify a cloud within the samples, the at least one processor configured to track a rotation of at least one feature of the cloud at a top of the cloud based on the samples and to identify an updraft within the cloud based on the rotation of the at least one feature at the top of the cloud, the at least one processor configured to determine at least one variation of the identified updraft over time and determine a parameter indicative of the updraft based on the at least one variation, the at least one processor further configured to predict an occurrence of a weather event in the future based on the parameter; and

an output interface configured to provide an output indicative of the occurrence.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the parameter is indicative of a strength of the updraft.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the occurrence of the weather event is an occurrence of hail.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the occurrence of the weather event is an occurrence of a tornado.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one variation is indicative of a change in a rate of the rotation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store weather data indicating atmospheric conditions within a geographic region, including at least one atmospheric condition within a region corresponding to the updraft, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the parameter based on the at least one atmospheric condition.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one atmospheric condition is a temperature at an altitude corresponding to the updraft.

8. The system of claim 1, the at least one processor further configured to estimate a strength of the updraft based on the rotation or cloud top divergence.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to predict an occurrence of a weather event in the future based on the estimation.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a rate of the rotation or a divergence of the at least one feature based on the comparisons and determine the parameter based on the rate of the rotation or the divergence.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is configured to compare the parameter to a threshold and to predict the occurrence of the weather event based on a comparison of the parameter to the threshold.

12. A weather forecasting system, comprising:

memory for storing satellite image data defining a plurality of samples, each of the samples defining a satellite image;

at least one processor configured to identify a cloud within the samples, the at least one processor configured to track at least one feature of the cloud at a top of the cloud and to determine that movement of the at least one feature is indicative of rotation at the top of the cloud over time based on comparisons of the samples, the at least one processor configured to identify an updraft in the cloud based on the rotation and to estimate a strength of the updraft based on the rotation, the at least one processor further configured to predict an occurrence of a weather event in the future based on the estimation; and

an output interface configured to provide an output indicative of the occurrence.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a variation in the strength of the updraft and to predict the occurrence of the weather event based on the variation.

14. A weather forecasting method, comprising:

storing, in memory, satellite image data defining a plurality of samples, each of the samples defining a satellite image;

comparing the samples with the at least one processor;

identifying, with at least one processor, a cloud within the samples based on the comparing;

tracking a rotation of at least one feature of the cloud at a top of the cloud based on the samples with the at least one processor;

identifying an updraft within the cloud based on the tracking;

determining, with the at least one processor, at least one variation of the identified updraft over time;

determining, with the at least one processor, a parameter indicative of the updraft based on the at least one variation;

predicting, with the at least one processor, an occurrence of a weather event in the future based on the parameter; and

outputting information indicative of the occurrence by an output interface.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising estimating, with the at least one processor, a strength of the updraft based on the rotation or cloud top divergence that the rotation produces.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predicting, with the at least one processor, an occurrence of a weather event in the future is based on the estimation.

17. A weather forecasting system, comprising:

memory for storing satellite image data defining a plurality of samples, each of the samples defining a satellite image;

at least one processor configured to compare the sample 15 and to identify a cloud within the samples based on comparisons of the samples, the at least one processor configure to track a rotation of at least one feature of the cloud at a top of the cloud in the samples and to determine a location of an updraft within the cloud based on the rotation of the at least one feature, the at least one processor further configured to determine a parameter indicative of a strength of the updraft based on the determined location and to predict an occurrence of a weather event in the future based on the parameter; and

an output interface configured to provide an output indicative of the occurrence.