Germany’s national weather service, the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), has begun utilizing an artificial intelligence-powered forecasting model, AICON, to generate weather predictions with increased frequency, and precision. The system was officially activated Monday by Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder in Offenbach, Germany.
AICON delivers forecasts every three hours – twice the frequency of previous models – focusing on key parameters like temperature, wind, and precipitation, according to a DWD statement. “AICON improves especially the forecast of temperature, wind and precipitation, i.e. The parameters that play a central role for everyday life, mobility and the safety of people,” the DWD stated.
Minister Schnieder emphasized the system’s potential to improve disaster preparedness. “This gives us valuable time for protective measures, for example in the event of storms or heavy rain,” he said, calling the implementation a “milestone.”
The DWD clarified that the AI is intended to augment, not replace, the work of human meteorologists. Its primary function will be to automate the creation of standard weather products, freeing up experts to focus on more complex analysis and forecasting challenges.
The AICON model is based on a dataset compiled by the DWD itself, analyzing 15 years of global weather data. This data was processed with a 13-kilometer spatial resolution and a three-hour temporal resolution using existing forecasting systems. To support the increased computational demands of the AI, the Federal Transport Ministry provided investment for a new high-performance computer.
The DWD is one of 15 global hubs in the international exchange of weather data, receiving large volumes of atmospheric information daily. The agency is also currently upgrading its Cray systems, according to recent reports.
Separately, a German court recently banned a free weather app, though the DWD’s new system is unrelated to that legal decision.
