Skyfora deploys 20+ GNSS weather stations across NYC to sharpen flood forecasts
What's the deal? Finnish meteorological technology company Skyfora has partnered with the New York State Mesonet (NYSM) at the University at Albany to pilot a dense atmospheric monitoring network across the New York City metropolitan region. More than 20 stations are already streaming data.
What's the endgame? The partners want to test whether frequent, high-resolution humidity observations can improve 0–6 hour precipitation nowcasting, flash-flood monitoring, and AI-assisted forecasting. Skyfora provides its StreamGNSS hardware and atmospheric processing platform; NYSM contributes installation sites, deployment, maintenance, and surface weather observations.
How does it work? Skyfora's technology turns existing GNSS infrastructure, such as telecom cell towers, into a distributed sensing network that produces near-real-time observations of precipitable water vapor. It increases observation density in the atmospheric boundary layer, where many rapidly developing weather events originate.
Why now? Extreme rainfall and flash flooding remain among the greatest weather-related risks facing major metropolitan areas. Atmospheric water vapor fuels precipitation, and shifts in its distribution often signal intense rainfall before it reaches the ground.
"This pilot project will allow us to test whether Skyfora's technology provides significant advantages over other water vapor measurements and can help us give emergency managers the best available information on the risks to the public," said June Wang, director of the New York State Mesonet.
The signal: Skyfora and NYSM see the pilot as a potential blueprint for future National Mesonet capabilities across the US. "We also believe this collaboration can help shape the next generation of AI-powered weather forecasting," said Jostein Mælan, chief commercial officer at Skyfora.
Read more: arcticstartup.com
Image credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video
