Start-ups are trying to predict the weather better — and it's tricky - The Washington Post

In late October, the weather predictions for California’s upcoming winter weren’t looking particularly wet. Then, in late December, the torrential rains arrived — and just kept coming. By mid-January, the state had received 200 to 600 times its usual rainfall for that time of year. Inaccurate weather forecasts are prompting tech start-ups to rush into an industry that is dominated by government agencies and takes time to change. For example, a five-day weather forecast today has the same accuracy as a three-day forecast in the 1990s, multiple meteorologists said. Start-ups are acquiring billions of dollars in funding aimed at getting better data for their private weather models. Private weather forecasting has been estimated to be at least a $7 billion industry. At least $880 million in venture funding has flown to weather tech start-ups in recent years, data from Crunchbase shows. These companies are launching their own satellites and sending drones out to sea to scour for creative da

In late October, the weather predictions for California’s upcoming winter weren’t looking particularly wet. Then, in late December, the torrential rains arrived — and just kept coming. By mid-January, the state had received 200 to 600 times its usual rainfall for that time of year. Inaccurate weather forecasts are prompting tech start-ups to rush into an industry that is dominated by government agencies and takes time to change. For example, a five-day weather forecast today has the same accuracy as a three-day forecast in the 1990s, multiple meteorologists said. Start-ups are acquiring billio