Counting raindrops • new development in weather forecasting

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21571384-how-use-mobile-phone-networks-weather-forecasting-counting-raindrops     / East Coast United States recovers Nemo importance weather forecasting become clear elegant solution age-old problem measuring rainfall measured satellites lack detail old fashion fashioned rain collection gauges have detail but don’t cover much land area degrade cell phone reception researchers invented developed system uses cellphone signals determine rainfall in an area detail rain gauges wide coverage of satellites most regions have cell phone reception information measured in realtime real time unlike satellites gauges areas without cell phone coverage weather forecasters help build cell stations towers to better measure weather data cell phone reception technology limitations measuring snow or hail technology limitations test runs /