Climavision And The Weather Company Team Up

Ever since Gary England showed the first radar image of a tornado on television back in 1973, a proprietary radar has been the ultimate differentiator for severe weather coverage on television. But owning a radar involves a large capital investment and significant ongoing expense — commitments that are more difficult in today’s broadcast landscape. And even those who can make the investment have frequently had to work through complex integrations just to display their radar feeds to viewers.

Now Climavision and The Weather Company, an IBM Business, are working together to solve both those challenges. Launched in 2021, Louisville, Ky.-based Climavision is deploying its own network of X-band radars and making the data available to broadcasters on a subscription basis. With a direct interface into The Weather Company’s Max suite of products, Climavision’s radar as a service gives broadcasters virtually all the advantages of a station-owned radar. And because customers from other industries such as energy, aviation, and agriculture can subscribe as well, the companies say the service is available for a fraction of the cost.

Climavision says its offering is even more valuable because of where the radars are located. “With many decades of combined experience in the weather radar industry, Climavision’s team was able to zero in on the “gaps” between NEXRAD radars — where the government systems may have a harder time spotting potentially dangerous weather at low altitudes.”

Because NEXRAD radars mostly sit near large urban areas, many of the communities that fall in the gaps are underserved. These rural communities may have access to fewer services and longer waits for emergency response, but Climavision’s radar data can help make up for that discrepancy.

“Climavision provides us with an extraordinarily valuable tool which will, inevitably, give us time – our most important asset for emergency preparation and response,” said Shawn Granato, EMA director for Columbia County, Ga.

Within days of installation, Climavision’s radar system captured a tornado moving into Granato’s area. “The resolution in this radar shows even more detail so we can see storms and tornadoes forming close to the ground,” Granato added. “If we can give people just 30 or even 60 seconds more… we can make a difference.”

Earlier this year, Climavision installed three new radars in Central North Carolina to effectively close one of the country’s most notable gaps, bringing unprecedented low-altitude coverage to an area that’s home to more than 3 million people. Gray TV’s WBTV Charlotte was the first television station to access the new system, delivering a new level of weather to viewers in the 21^st television market.

“Viewers trust us with their family’s safety during severe weather, so we owe them the best information we can possibly provide,” said Molly Kelleher, WBTV news director. “Climavision’s radar-as-a-service fills in a critical gap in NEXRAD coverage near Charlotte, so we get a much more complete picture of dangerous weather — when and where it’s happening. That could make a lifesaving difference for our viewers — or even our own crews in the field.”

The Weather Company makes Climavision’s service seamless for meteorologists — and for viewers. The data from Climavision’s network can be incorporated directly into a client’s Rapid Radar Service data feed — meaning it can be displayed on-air right alongside NEXRAD data. The Weather Company’s Max system can also highlight the Climavision feed — making sure viewers understand the added value the station is delivering.

“Climavision radar data gives our meteorologists a new ‘set of eyes’ to gather data as severe weather develops,” said Joe Sciortino, general manager of WAFB Baton Rouge, La. “And the ability to display that data directly on air gives our viewers a new level of understanding as well. Climavision gives us a clear, visual differentiator for our weather coverage.”

Data from Climavision radars can also be integrated into other applications through an API. That means clients who use The Weather Company’s proprietary Max Mobile weather app can seamlessly integrate the Climavision feed with NEXrad radar data for mobile users as well.

“The Weather Company strives to help people make the most informed decisions based on highly accurate and precise weather data, whether that’s to stay safe during severe weather or to make the most of a sunny day,” said Bill Dow, The Weather Company head of media solutions. “By integrating the Climavision radar network, we can better deliver critical radar data and improved visualizations to better inform audiences at a more granular level.”

Climavision is continually adding to its network of radars, with installations now in North Carolina, Texas, Louisiana and Tennessee. The company will have 35 radars online by the end of 2023, scaling the network to more than 200.

“Weather radar coverage is critically important for all of us, and the way most people see it is through their local broadcaster,” said Chris Goode Climavision co-founder and CEO. “Our collaboration with The Weather Company gives local stations a clear competitive advantage while also allowing them to serve viewers with a new level of protection.”