Evaluating AI-Powered Weather Forecasts: Are Tech Giants Delivering Accuracy?

Accurate weather forecasts are crucial for daily planning and can significantly influence behavior during severe weather, ultimately saving lives and minimizing property damage. While it’s difficult to quantify the global economic value of weather forecasts, figures from NOAA indicate that the U.S. faced $182 billion in damages from severe weather in 2024 alone, alongside 568 fatalities. Since 1980, cumulative damages have approached nearly $3 trillion. In the UK, excessive heatwaves resulted in 1,311 excess deaths in 2024. A study by London Economics estimated that the Met Office could provide £56 billion in economic benefits over ten years through meteorological services. As the global population becomes increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather exacerbated by climate change, the economic significance of weather forecasting becomes even more pronounced, underscoring its importance as a critical service worldwide.

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