Manila: The state weather bureau is working on using artificial intelligence (AI) and historical data to improve its forecasting capability, an official said Thursday.

According to Philippines News Agency, in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview, Marcelino Villafuerte II, deputy administrator for research and development of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said the agency aims to enhance its services, particularly flood forecasting. "We are working on translating information into possible flood heights," he said, adding that PAGASA wants to identify flood-prone areas and estimate potential flood levels.

Villafuerte stated that PAGASA, in partnership with a United States agency, will begin using AI this year. "We will combine historical data with numerical weather prediction models to improve our forecasts," he said. The approach would allow PAGASA to issue forecasts more frequently and extend the forecast period to at least 14 days. The agency currently provides five-day forecasts.

Villafuerte explained that PAGASA is still evaluating the use of AI, noting that forecasts could be based 50 percent on AI or data-driven models and 50 percent on expert judgment. Meanwhile, Villafuerte said PAGASA is collaborating with government agencies and local government units on data-sharing initiatives. This will help the bureau provide more location-specific weather scenarios, he added.

Source: Philippines News Agency