Google DeepMind's WeatherNext 3 forecasts weather hourly, globally
Google DeepMind has unveiled WeatherNext 3, its most advanced global weather AI model. Unlike previous versions, it generates forecasts every hour of the day, drawing directly from raw satellite imagery. It predicts surface variables like temperature and humidity at 5km resolution and other variables like wind at 10km, improving accuracy even in unseen locations. Designed for industry use, it covers renewable energy variables and is integrated into Google products like Search, Maps, and Gemini, as well as available via BigQuery and Earth Engine.
WeatherNext 3 is the first global weather model that generates forecasts every hour of the day.
- bastawhiz
It's great that they're working on this, but I am puzzled at how absolutely awful the forecasts are in the Google weather app for my area. The forecast will show no rain, the radar view shows nothing, meanwhile it's pouring outside and every other app I check shows it. I know I can't expect it to be perfect, but being terribly wrong even one in ten times is enough to tarnish its reputation permanently.
- throw0101a
There's reduced data available for initial conditions, so I wonder how that will effect things:
* https://apnews.com/article/weather-forecasts-worsen-doge-tru...
* https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politic...
A good book on the history of forecasting, The Weather Machine: A Journey Inside the Forecast:
- witweb
There is a great article from the German Meteorological Service on WeatherNext 3 and how AI-based weather models will probably co-exist with physics-based ones.
https://www.dwd.de/DE/wetter/thema_des_tages/2026/9/6.html (German only)
- bilsbie
It’s crazy we’ll never have forecasts as good as dark sky again. What kind of magic were they doing?
- bahmboo
They even have an interactive world map with all the layers. It's so cool when an announcement comes with the actual goods.
- mathgeek
> As our weather grows more extreme, the stakes grow higher.
Never let a good crisis go to waste for marketing, especially if the product you're promoting is contributing to exacerbating it.
- hankbond
The exploration page is really easy to use. Having more reliable weather predictions is a genuinely useful product.
- RockstarSprain
Is there a convenient way to use this on iOS?
AFAIK Google Search and Maps only show rather basic information.