Weatherwatch: forecasts may suffer if satellites share bandwidth

Frequency sharing could jam airways, lowering accuracy of forecasts, meteorologist warns

We might mock weather forecasts, but in reality they have never been better. Be it an approaching storm, the chances of a sunny day, or the likelihood of flooding, most of us have access to reliable forecasts. And much of this improvement is thanks to satellite data. But weather forecasts could be set to go downhill, if US weather satellites give in to commercial pressure to share their bandwidth.

Last year during Hurricane Irma, river gauge readings collected by satellites enabled the Florida Department of Transportation to decide which highways were suitable evacuation routes. These readings came from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's new fleet of geostationary satellites, the first of which was launched in 2016. These satellites spot lightning, monitor storms (providing measurements every 30 seconds if needed) and image the entire northern hemisphere every 15 minutes.