Southwest Airlines' flight data collection aircraft

Every 12 hours, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) releases balloons that collect weather information from about 70 different locations across the United States. This information is still useful, but there will definitely be many differences and changes in the distance between the two balloons and different locations. That is why a new project takes advantage of what is 'sky-high' and is present in many places, doing the job of replacing those balloons - and people have chosen the plane, starting with the Southwest Airlines.

Along with NOAA and Southwest Airlines, other companies involved in the project are SpectraSensors and Aeronautical Radio Incorporated. So far 87 Southwest Airlines Boeing 737s have been fitted with the Water Vapor Sensing Systems (WVSS-II) developed by SpectraSensors. The system has sensors similar to those used on balloons, which measure humidity in the air. By observing the change in relative humidity over time, weather forecasters will be able to make predictions such as ' fog and location, , and the height of the clouds. "

The new sensors on Southwest Airlines aircraft will collect air humidity information hundreds of times per flight, as the plane takes off and landed in the air. The data will be automatically transferred to Aeronautical Radio Incorporated's headquarters for processing and delivery to the National Weather Service of the United States (NOAA) for use in weather forecasting or warnings.

Water Vapor Sensing Systems sensors will be added to Southwest's more aircraft. This project is part of NOAA's Weather Ready Nation Initiative, which aims to 'build community resilience in the face of extreme weather conditions.'