MetraWeather and MetService have launched the Airport Weather Matrix.
The matrix provides a consistent, shared, single point of weather guidance to:
- Airlines
- Airport operators
- Air traffic controllers
- Airport services including emergency services, fuel operations, freight operators, and those agencies responsible for infrastructure assets, communications, building services and works
- Air force & military aviation
The matrix complements the System Wide Information Management (SWIM) and Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) programmes used by airlines, airports and air traffic controllers to improve operational decision-making both within, and beyond, the parameter fence.
Weather, and particularly severe weather, can significantly impact airlines and airport operations.
Scientists predict that the severity of weather events is escalating as a consequence of global warming and greater disruption to aviation services is anticipated.
Effectively addressing these challenges provides significant benefits
Sharing a common source of highly-accurate weather guidance assists airport operators to align their procedures, responses and decision-making.
The guidance helps these operators to act collaboratively to improve safety, productivity, user experience and communications.
Collaborative action about weather events promises improved service delivery and cost efficiencies.
Product description
The Airport Weather Matrix is delivered via the MetConnect weather dashboard.
It provides operators with mobile and desktop access to the Matrix based upon user-defined site-specific thresholds that graphically indicate, in advance, the forecast conditions and their likely impact.
The Airport Weather Matrix dashboard features two forecasts:
- The first shows the current 24-hour forecast in hourly time-steps. It is regularly updated and synchronised to the airport TAFs.
- The second shows the next 24-hours based upon high-resolution weather modelling.
The dashboard illuminates the high, moderate and low risk to operations of:
- Cloud cover
- Visibility
- Precipitation
- Wind speed
- Cross winds
- Lightning strikes
Shared visibility of the forecast conditions, and specifically changes to the thresholds, enables operators to proactively and collaboratively plan and disseminate information. Insights help to stabilize traffic flows and reduce congestion. They deliver efficiencies in the air and on the apron and taxiways. Shared guidance promotes enhanced user experience in the terminal, and for those services that support the airport ecosystem.
