The use of vehicle‐based observations in weather prediction and decision support

Vehicle‐based mobile observations are taken across the world every day by operational and research meteorological organizations, public transportation agencies, and private car manufacturers. Whether directly weather‐related (e.g., air temperature) or not (e.g., wiper speed), the coverage and frequency of these observations holds the promise of filling in gaps between fixed observing stations and greatly improving situational awareness and weather forecasting, from road surface condition‐specific applications and winter road maintenance to urban and street‐level numerical weather prediction and beyond. However, in order to take advantage of these observations, the weather, water, and climate enterprise must work together with the transportation enterprise across academic, public, and private sectors to provide a mechanism for obtaining these data, so that the benefits of using these unconventional observations may be realized. Vehicle‐based observations are taken across the world every day by operational and research meteorological organizations, public transportation agencies, and private car manufacturers. The coverage and frequency of these observations holds the promise of filling in gaps between fixed observing stations. To realize the benefits of these unconventional observations, the weather, water, and climate enterprise must work together with the transportation enterprise across academic, public, and private sectors to provide a mechanism for obtaining these data.