SM to host automated weather stations

MANILA, Philippines — Select SM Supermalls, the chain of shopping malls operated by SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPHI), will be hosting 49 automated weather stations (AWS) as part of efforts to promote disaster risk reduction, monitor weather conditions and study the weather and climate. 

The AWS is an automated version of a traditional weather station that measures the amount of rainfall, atmospheric pressure, humidity, temperature, wind direction, wind speed and UV radiation.

This is part of the project that aims to install 11,000 units throughout the country, started by Weather Philippines Foundation Inc. (WPFI).

“There had been a number of AWS projects by other groups in the past, and we hope to augment their efforts by hosting more of these devices,” said Liza Silerio, Program Director of the SM Cares Environment Committee, in a statement Friday, July 19.

SM Investments Corp. (SMIC), the holding company of SMPI, donated P25 million to the project’s fund.

Best practices

SM said its malls in Marikina and Muntinlupa were recently featured in the UN International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction Global Platform for Disaster Reduction in Geneva, Switzerland. They were cited as models for best practices in disaster risk reduction, preparedness and resilience for businesses.

Siting, which is the act of choosing the proper location for AWS, ensures that weather forecasts are accurate.

The AWS gadgets will collect all measurement data, which will be sent to Canadian weather service provider Meteomedia, and then will be used to analyze weather patterns and make predictions.

“There are many aspects that may cause biased readings, such as low-lying obstructions like trees. Since the rooftops of our malls [do] not have such kinds of obstruction, these became ideal to help achieve accurate measurements.”

Real-time data updates shall be shown to the public online at weather.com.ph. Related news, both in text and video, can be viewed on the site without charges. – Rappler.com