Mobile Phone Towers Could Help Predict Flash Flooding

Researchers from Tel Aviv University say that they can use mobile phone towers to predict the intensity of weather derived flooding, before it arrives. They said that such a technique could have acted as an early-warning for New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit the US city. Cellular News reports.

Their model, protected by a patent application which analyses cell phone signals, adds an essential and critical component to weather forecasting, never before available.

... "How does it work? You know how the cell phone signal gets fuzzy when it is raining outside? Based on the fact that cell phone towers emit radio waves that are attenuated by moisture in the air -- a factor that can be correlated to flood levels -- the researchers have found a way to measure the attenuations and accurately estimate of the size of an impending flood before it strikes.

emily | 8:59 AM | Technology |
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