Using Real-time Wather Sensors to Power Communication, Nowcasting, and Forecasting of Severe Thunderstorms

Understory is creating a revolutionary type of data from its ground-truth network of proprietary weather sensors called RTis (real-time instruments). These sensors deliver roof-level measurements of hail and wind impacts. Understory’s web platform brings together watches, warnings, advisories, thunderstorm outlooks, and real-time data from Understory-enabled metros. This platform gives users an up-to-the minute view of conditions that could cause property and other damage, and allows tailored messages to be sent out to appropriate groups.

Understory has deployed hundreds of stations in cities throughout the United States including Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Denver, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Madison. Blanketing a metro area with stations every 1 to 5 km allows us to determine when and where hail fell and assess the potential for hail- and wind-related damage from the storm. Data from the micronets is combined in real-time, providing a current picture of the conditions in those metro areas. Micronets can contribute a necessary data layer for catastrophe and response planning. Understory data is accessed through a web platform that integrates other sources of valuable information for incredible situational awareness. Severe weather alert messages can be pre-configured and trigger for users in affected areas. We will discuss perils supported nationwide as well as targeted alerting in Understory-enabled metros. We’ll also discuss how the real-time data can be accessed through the Understory API and is complimentary for government users and academics for research purposes.