The goal is to be able to develop better predictions in the face of climate change.
Google and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have recently signed a deal to partner up on AI weather forecasting for the next three years. This will focus on using artificial intelligence and machine learning from the tech giant. Its goal is to enhance the NOAA’s weather forecasting, environmental monitoring and climate research.
The announcement of the new three-year partnership was made jointly last week.
At first, the research under the AI weather forecasting deal was going to be for the development of small-scale artificial intelligence and machine learning systems. Google Cloud and the NOAA would examine the results and place their focus on the execution of full-sized prototypes. The NOAA would be able to use these across its organization.
“Strengthening NOAA’s data processing through the use of big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other advanced analytical approaches is critical for maintaining and enhancing the performance of our systems in support of public safety and the economy,” said Neil Jacobs, acting administrator of the NOAA, in the announcement. “I am excited to utilize new authorities granted to NOAA to pursue cutting-edge technologies that will enhance our mission and better protect lives and property.”
AI weather forecasting is nothing new for Google, but the intention is to further develop it.
Engineers and data scientists at Google have been using artificial intelligence for the development of new strategies for predicting what the sky will be doing.
On the side of the NOAA, the strategy for using this technology is to bring it together with other forms of tech and additional approaches in order to boost efficiency and skills by way of training, partnerships, and research and development related to artificial intelligence, said the official announcement.
At the time this article was written, the cost of the three-year agreement had not been disclosed.
Earlier in October, Google announced another partnership with a federal government agency. At that time, it was not an AI weather forecasting strategy. Instead, it was with the Department of Energy, with which it will be working for the next 
five years. This will give the DOE access to Google’s tools, which includes Google Workspace productivity tools as well as the Google Cloud Platform.
