Nowcasting covers the 0–6-hour prediction range, where numerical models have not yet had time to produce useful output. It relies on extrapolation of radar data, satellite imagery, lightning data, and surface observations.
Applications
Critical for imminent thunderstorm warnings, air traffic management, sporting events, and civil protection. AEMET and other services issue nowcast alerts when storm cells approach populated areas. AI is improving nowcasting by combining radar data with deep learning.