US Defense Department will stop providing satellite weather data
10 months ago
- #weather-data
- #hurricane-forecasting
- #cybersecurity
- The U.S. Department of Defense will stop providing crucial satellite weather data, impacting hurricane forecasting and sea ice monitoring.
- The data has been used for over 40 years for real-time hurricane tracking and understanding atmospheric and oceanic conditions.
- The decision to stop sharing data is attributed to cybersecurity concerns, though specifics are not disclosed.
- Hurricane forecasters rely on this data to monitor storm structures and predict intensification, which is critical for early warnings and evacuations.
- The loss of this data may lead to gaps in real-time monitoring, potentially causing surprises in hurricane behavior.
- Sea ice monitoring will also be affected, with six key datasets interrupted, impacting climate research and shipping routes.
- Alternative data sources, like Japanese satellites, are being considered, but the transition requires time and calibration.
- The change comes during a record-breaking year for low Arctic sea ice and ahead of an above-average Atlantic hurricane season.