Mobile phone towers transmit radio signals that are disturbed when it rains, providing data that enables local weather agencies to improve the accuracy of their rainfall predictions. The sheer number of mobile phone towers means the data can help provide forecasts of up to 90% accuracy, said Tricarico, filling the equipment gap at no extra cost and giving more location-specific, high-resolution data than satellites provide. Improved forecasting is key to helping farmers deal with the impact of climate change, which is making weather patterns harder to predict, he said. Using mobile phone towers would allow insurers to pinpoint where rain has fallen more accurately, said Gunawardena, calling it a "game-changer" for farmers. While the United States and some European countries have begun to use mobile phone networks commercially to predict rain, developing nations may take another few years, said Tricarico.

Source: bd News24 October 18, 2019 13:52 UTC