System for producing high-resolution, real-time synthetic meteorological conditions for a specified location

• US 7,082,382 B1
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DTN, LLC (TBG AG)
• Original Assignee: The Weather Channel Incorporated (CF Entertainment, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Ian James, Neilley, Peter Paul, Faciane, David Richard, Lidrbauch, James J., Kleist, Michael R., Rose, Bruce L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Carol S. W.
• Application Number:
  US11/042,681
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/02 Instruments for indicating weather conditions by measuring two or more variables, e.g. humidity, pressure, temperature, cloud cover or wind speed G01W1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Methods and articles of manufacture for estimating or deriving weather observations/conditions for any given location using observed weather conditions from neighboring locations, radar data, lightning data, satellite imagery, etc. An initial estimate of weather conditions for a location is made based on a downscaling process using the current conditions the neighboring locations. A measure of corroboration between the radar data and surface weather conditions at official observing stations may be established. Through the results of the downscaling process, radar calibration statistics and estimates of ground-based precipitation, the corroboration can be iteratively tuned, resulting in a weather conditions vector containing associated meteorological fields for locations that lie between or near the sparse network of official observing sites from which an estimate of the weather conditions may be made.

Claims

1. A method for estimating weather conditions at a predetermined time at a predetermined location, comprising:

receiving weather observation data and short-term forecast data;

establishing an initial estimate of weather conditions at said predetermined location from said weather observation data and said short-term forecast data;

interpolating corrections to said initial estimate to determine first estimated weather conditions at said predetermined location;

extracting second estimated weather conditions from radar information associated with said predetermined location; and

deriving, from said first and second estimated weather conditions, data to populate meteorological fields to generate an estimate of actual observed weather conditions at said predetermined location at approximately said predetermined time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting said short-term forecast data using said weather observation data.

3. The method of claim 2, said interpolating said weather observation data further comprising:

determining nearest neighbors to said predetermined location;

establishing a second initial estimate of weather conditions at each of said nearest neighbors in accordance with climatological data;

determining said corrections to said second initial estimate in accordance with said weather observation data associated with said nearest neighbors; and

interpolating said corrections to said predetermined location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said short-term forecast data is gridded data, and wherein for each of said nearest neighbors and said predetermined location, said method further comprises:

extracting first grid points that surround each of said nearest neighbors and said predetermined location; and

extracting second grid points that surround said first grid points.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing a temporal interpretation of said gridded data.

6. The method of claim 3, said determining nearest neighbors further comprising:

selecting a candidate with a highest covariance with said predetermined location and adding it to a list of neighbors; and

interatively repeating for each remaining candidate the following;

determining a length of a vector for a next candidate; and

adding a candidate found to have a minimum length to said list of neighbors.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein said interpolating corrections to said predetermined location is performed by a Krieging scheme.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing said weather observation data with said second estimated weather conditions for a plurality of official observation points;

performing a least-squares subtraction representing a difference between said weather observation data and said second estimated weather conditions for each of said plurality of official observation points to yield numeric representations; and

determining an average variance from said numeric representations.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

using said average variance to determine a first and second weighting value; and

applying said first and second weighting value to said first estimated weather conditions and said second estimated weather conditions, respectively, to populate said meteorological fields.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said meteorological fields comprise at least one of a probability of precipitation, a probability of thunder, a conditional probability of rain, a conditional probability of snow, a conditional probability of ice, a probability of fog, a quantitative precipitation estimate, and horizontal visibility.