The weather can not influence the smartph1. But to improve weather forecasts, smartphones can be very helpful.

• Weather Forecast: Smartphone users can improve forecasts – signals provide information
• Weather Forecast: App of the European Space Agency – How is the weather in all?
• Weather Forecast: App collects Records – data is stored anonymised

Zurich / Laxenburg (DPA) – Users of an Android smartphone can help to improve weather forecasts by summer. With the App Camaliot, smartphone owners can participate in a project of the European Space Agency ESA.

The goal: about the application by the end of June 2022 as many satellite navigation data as possible collect as many different places as possible. These evaluate researchers of the ETH Zurich and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Laxenburg (Austria), which realize the ESA project.

Weather Forecast: Smartphone users can improve forecasts – signals provide information

And how should that work exactly? The scientists can actually draw conclusions on atmospheric phenomena from the satellite signals, so also on the weather. They know about how strength or maturities of the signals are changing in a certain water vapor content in the atmosphere.

If trends are now recorded in the water vapor concentration in the longer term, this knowledge can be included in weather models and used for more precise local weather forecast, especially for rain.

Weather Forecast: App of the European Space Agency – How is the weather in all?

Incidentally, the researchers with the collected user data can also improve predictions for space weather, for example, in terms of sun towers, which can affect satellite operation and communication.

Who wants to help, measure with the app outside and again in between in different places. The view of the sky should be free, the smartphone is kept quiet or laid out (more digital at weather).

Weather Forecast: App collects Records – data is stored anonymised

Then you just have to call the app, tap “Start Logging” and wait for a few seconds or “Log in Background” tap for a long-term recording. To exit a recording, tap “Stop Logging”. Thereafter, the record can be uploaded to the CamalioT servers.

All data is treated anonymously and stored only on European servers, the scientists promise. Initial problems with the app, which complain of users in the Google Play Store, should have been fixed by updates.