Mon Prof Augmenté
The Forecast Supercomputer
Age 16 · Computer Science
Weather forecasts are generated by supercomputers that take in millions of measurements from satellites, balloons and ground stations. The machine runs the physics of the atmosphere forward in time to work out what the weather will do next.
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Age 16: open this week
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In the picture
- Server racks: stacked processors that run the atmosphere model
- Dish antenna: receives readings sent down from weather satellites
- Weather balloon: carries instruments measuring temperature, pressure and wind
- Globe projection: the simulated atmosphere, with cloud bands moving over the surface
Examples
- The five-day rain forecast on a phone comes out of a run like this.
- Airports check the same model output before deciding whether to delay flights.
Key takeaways
- A forecast is a simulation: many measurements in, the future weather out.
- More computing power and better data make forecasts reliable further ahead.
Quiz: The Forecast Supercomputer (Age 16)
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What is a weather forecast, according to the card?
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Where does the forecast supercomputer get the measurements it uses?
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What makes weather forecasts reliable further ahead?
The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.
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