Vodafone’s River Severn partnership

River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region (aka RSPAWIR) is collaborating with Vodafone and Wireless DNA with the aim of improving short-term rain prediction, known as ‘nowcasting’.

Photo credit: Adobe Stock/Volodymyr

Discussing the project, a spokesperson said: “[It] will use Vodafone’s mobile network as an environmental sensor to monitor rainfall. Electromagnetic waves at certain frequencies are sensitive to precipitation, as water in the air affects the quality of the wireless link between masts.

“A microwave link can therefore function as a virtual rain gauge, providing pinpointed and precise precipitation data.”

Wireless DNA meanwhile will “monitor all signal variations to identify those caused by precipitation and share this data with the River Severn Partnership.”

The aim of the initiative is to enhance early warning systems for flooding and improve flood defences. ‘Nowcasting’ typically takes place in a timeframe of between a few minutes and a few hours.