Microsoft has developed a machine learning tool designed to improve the accuracy of weather forecasts made two to six weeks in advance. Researchers at the company state that this approach addresses a common limitation in both traditional physics-based models and newer AI systems, which typically lose reliability beyond a two-week window.
The findings were published in the journal Nature. Microsoft has also released the tool as open-source software, allowing other developers and researchers to access the code. The company describes the method as cost-effective and aimed at providing greater certainty for groups such as farmers and emergency responders who rely on long-range planning.
Microsoft is not alone in this field. Google, Nvidia, and other companies are also developing AI tools for weather forecasting. The new Microsoft tool is intended to join these existing efforts in using artificial intelligence to extend the range of accurate meteorological predictions.