The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) will soon be able to do more frequent and extended weather forecasts through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said AI will help PAGASA forecast the weather for the next 14 days instead of the current five days, as well as reduce the time it takes to make projections.
“Instead of every three hours computation, every 15 minutes is our target (of weather forecast),” Solidum said in a mix of English and Filipino during the Senate budget hearing of the DOST and its attached agencies including PAGASA.
Meanwhile, PAGASA Administrator Nathaniel Servando noted that while the country needs 21 Doppler radars, used to detect rainfall — there are only 19 with an even lower 11 still operational. He added some of these radars are already damaged or are due to be replaced.
According to Solidum, it is easier to forecast the weather in a continent compared to an archipelago. He added what PAGASA is doing now is called impact-based forecasting.
“More than determining if it will rain, this approach determines what the effects of the rain are so that proper response can be done,” Solidum said.
