Inaugural use case combines NVIDIA AI models with Vaisala Xweather's proprietary lightning data to extend lightning forecasting from one hour to three hours, giving customers more time to respond to severe weather.
With NVIDIA GTC Berlin underway, Vaisala Xweather, the world's leading provider of weather observation networks and data intelligence services, announced today a landmark strategic collaboration with NVIDIA to advance AI-powered early warning across severe and high-impact weather. The collaboration brings NVIDIA Earth-2 and accelerated computing into Vaisala Xweather's proprietary observation networks, lightning data and operational weather products. The combination of these complementary assets gives customers the weather industry's most advanced lead time, better preparedness, and stronger protection when severe weather strikes.
While NVIDIA Earth-2 represents one of the most ambitious efforts in applied atmospheric AI, Vaisala Xweather brings what no AI model alone can provide, ground truth data with the world's most extensive lightning detection datasets and decades of weather expertise.
"High-impact weather doesn't wait, and every extra minute of warning matters," said Samuli Hänninen, Executive Vice President, Vaisala Xweather. "By combining NVIDIA Earth-2 models and AI tools with Vaisala Xweather's observations and domain expertise, we can turn advanced models into earlier, more actionable warnings. For our customers, that means more time to protect their people, assets and operations."
The collaboration's inaugural use case combines NVIDIA StormScope with Vaisala Xweather's proprietary lightning data to extend lightning forecasting from one hour to three hours of lead time.
Lightning is one of the fastest forming and most disruptive weather hazards. The impact of greater alert lead time will be felt across sectors most exposed to severe weather, including national meteorological services and government agencies, aviation, energy, maritime, transportation, and insurance. Two additional hours of warning can be the difference between reacting and preparing, giving customers the critical time to move crews to safety, control operations at airports, secure ports and wind farms, or manage crowds at outdoor venues. For these customers, earlier and more reliable warnings translate directly into safer people, protected infrastructure, and fewer costly disruptions.
"AI weather models become far more powerful when grounded in real-world observations," said Tim Carroll, Global Weather & Climate Business Manager, NVIDIA. "By building on StormScope with lightning data and a global sensor network, Vaisala Xweather can see severe weather coming hours earlier. Together, we're showing how Earth-2 enables operational early warnings that protect lives and livelihoods."
Expanded lightning alerts are the first step in a broader collaboration. Vaisala Xweather plans to extend AI-powered warnings to other severe weather and enable more precise high-resolution AI forecasting.
Vaisala Xweather will bring these expanding services to customers worldwide, from government agencies and national meteorological offices to commercial operators, helping them modernize forecasting, issue earlier, more confident warnings, and build the future of what AI for atmospheric science looks like.
###
About Vaisala Xweather
Vaisala Xweather gives the world's most demanding organizations the confidence to move beyond understanding the weather to acting on it. We take weather intelligence from sensor to insight, pairing our Vaisala heritage in measurement and atmospheric science with AI-enabled forecasting and the world's largest observation networks. The result is decision-grade data and software that 40% of the Fortune 100 rely on to turn weather risk into advantage.
xweather.com
For media inquiries:
Megan Schaefer
Media & Public Relations Manager
Tel. +1 720 948 6162
megan.schaefer(at)vaisala.com
Attachment
- Vaisala Xweather & NVIDIA
