Method and apparatus for short-term prediction of convective weather

US6920233B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology · US

Inventors

• Marilyn Wolfson · Acton, US
• Richard J. Johnson · Colville, US
• Barbara Forman · Framingham, US
• William Dupree · Westborough, US
• Kim E. Theriault · Pelham, US
• Robert Boldi · Sudbury, US
• Carol Wilson · Acton, US
• Robert Hallowell · Deptford, US
• Richard L. Delanoy · Merrimack, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 19, 2002
• Grant date: Jul 19, 2005
• Expiry date: Jan 8, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02A90/10
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forecasting the likely occurrence of convective weather events, such as thunderstorms. An image filter is used to identify areas of interest within a meteorological image that are likely to contain convective weather. The image filter and an image difference processor identify areas within the meteorological image that are likely to experience a growth and/or decay of weather events. The meteorological image, interest image and growth/decay image are processed to produce the short-term forecast.