PAGASA eyes using AI for weather reports every 15 minutes

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration will soon use artificial intelligence to improve its weather forecasting, Science Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said on Wednesday.

At the Senate hearing of the Department of Science and Technology's proposed budget in 2025 worth P28.77 billion, Solidum said that PAGASA is looking to provide a weather forecast every 15 minutes.

The target is significantly faster than the current release of PAGASA’s weather advisories every three hours. 

With the help of AI, he said PAGASA is also looking to release rain forecasts for the next 14 days.

“Soon we will now operate through a research program to use artificial intelligence in weather forecasting. So instead of every three hours computation, every 15 minutes... so that it can be provided to the public,” Solidum said. 

“Every five days po may forecast ang PAGASA ng rain. Gusto naming maging 14 days ‘yun with AI,” he added. 

(Currently, we can only forecast every five days. We want to increase this to 14 days with AI.) 

Based on PAGASA’s latest advisory, Tropical Storm Bebinca is seen to intensify into a severe tropical storm within 24 hours and may reach typhoon category late Thursday.

It is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Friday afternoon or evening and exit PAR on Saturday morning. —NB, GMA Integrated News