[wxqc] A better rain gauge?

[[hris }{olmes]

http://www.theregister.com/2006/05/05/mobile_mast_meteorology/

     New research suggests mobile 3G masts offer a cheap and accurate 
   weather monitoring network.

   The data, published today in the journal Science, was collected by an 
   Israeli team headed by University of Tel-Aviv professor Hagit 
   Messer-Yaron.

   Rain, snow, humidity, and other atmospheric conditions affect the 
   strength of electromagnetic signals. Mobile phone operators already 
   collect such data and use the knowledge to boost the network when 
   things turn nasty.

   The team collated mast strength numbers with recorded precipitation 
   levels. They found that the variation in reception was a better 
   real-time indicator of conditions than current radar techniques.

   Thanks to the near-ubiquity of cellular networks, mobile mast 
   monitoring is also more widely available, and cheaper than expensive 
   surface rain gauges, they say.

   The plan now is to up the accuracy even further by taking the affect 
   of users' usage of the network on the signal into account.

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