Why Every Modern Business Needs Hyperlocal Weather Forecasts?

How many times do you reach out to your phone to check the weather forecast before planning a family outing?

Do you often choose your next holiday destination based on how the weather is going to behave?

Are you someone who relies on accurate weather data to better plan your day?

Weather-related information, such as temperature, wind speed, precipitation levels, etc., has become integral to our lives.

It isn’t surprising considering that today you can use a diverse array of top-rated weather apps that provide you with accurate data and forecasts.

And you have access to all this information right at your fingertips.

But why have you limited the use of weather information to your personal life only?

If you’re a business owner, there are a plethora of ways in which you could use weather forecasts to your advantage.

Weather Forecasts for Businesses

Weather data has been used to inform decision-making in various industries, including:

• Aviation
• Transportation
• Mining
• Agriculture
• Healthcare

However, in today’s day and age, the use of weather forecasts isn’t just limited to weather-dependent industries.

Even if you’re running a bootstrapped startup that operates remotely, there are several ways to utilize weather information to drive conversions and boost revenue.

This is because meteorology has witnessed massive transformation due to modern tech innovations.

From radar and geostationary satellites to artificial intelligence and machine learning – today’s meteorologists use cutting-edge technology to better predict the weather.

Likewise, the advent of hyperlocal weather forecasting has revolutionized the way businesses operate.

In this blog, we’ll discuss the benefits of using hyperlocal weather forecasts for your business. But let’s first delve deeper into the concept.

What is Hyperlocal Weather Forecasting?

Traditionally, meteorologists have used data from satellites and distributed radar systems to generate weather forecasts.

Consequently, these forecasts have been restricted to larger geographic locations, such as districts and cities.

However, as a business owner, you’d want more specific weather data for a particular area or neighborhood.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could get access to weather forecasts for your office building?

This is precisely what hyperlocal weather forecasts help you achieve. 

Simply put, it involves collecting weather data from closer-to-ground sources, such as:

• Street cameras
• Drones
• Airplanes
• Cellphone towers
• Connected cars

New-age weather intelligence platforms convert these devices into virtual weather sensors to collect more location-specific weather information.

This, in turn, helps them provide accurate data and forecasts for locations, such as:

• Mining sites
• Farms
• Construction sites
• Buildings
• Airports

Why Use Hyperlocal Weather Forecasts?

Utilizing hyperlocal weather data is no longer a novelty. Instead, it’s gradually becoming the norm for today’s businesses.

Here are the biggest benefits that your business can derive from hyperlocal weather forecasts:

1. Optimized Resource Allocation

If your business uses natural resources, such as wind, water, and sun, you already know the impact weather can have on your operations.

For instance, if your office is powered by solar panels, you’re going to need alternate arrangements when it’s cloudy or raining.

This is where hyperlocal weather information steps into the picture. Instead of relying on city-wide data for cloud cover and precipitation, you can find out how it’s going to affect your office building in particular.

This, in turn, will guide your decisions on how best you can utilize the available resources.

2. Increased Employee Safety & Productivity

Employees are the most critical asset for every business. It’s only natural that you wouldn’t want to jeopardize their safety due to adverse weather.

Knowing how the weather is going to behave at a particular business location will help you decide whether you want your employees to vacate the place.

For instance, if you’re running a construction firm, you’ll likely have laborers working at various construction sites.

Access to precise forecasts for each location will help you determine whether it’s safe for the laborers to work there.

It’ll also give you enough time to alert them in case of dangerous weather conditions.

The best part is that when you prioritize employee safety, it’ll make them feel valued.

This, in turn, will motivate them to work harder and ultimately, amplify productivity and engagement.

3. Guaranteed Business Resilience

The last thing you want is to halt business operations altogether because of an approaching storm.

Instead, if you know exactly when the storm will hit your business location, you can take suitable measures to maintain business continuity.

For instance, you can provide your employees with the necessary tools and access to let them work from home.

If certain employees have to be present in the office, you can make proper arrangements to ensure that they can stay back until the storm subsides.

4. Intelligent Business Operations

Let’s say you’re running an online apparel store. You’ve designed a new range of infinity scarves and are eager to launch it.

Except it’s still a few months until winter arrives and you can’t decide the right time to introduce your new product.

Hyperlocal weather data takes the guesswork out of your operations and helps you make intelligent business decisions.

For instance, if you know when winter is going to hit your target locations, you can accordingly plan the launch and even get the timing of your marketing campaigns right.

Ultimately, all these factors will positively impact your revenue and help your business thrive, even in adverse weather conditions.

Are you using hyperlocal weather data to grow your business? Share your experience in the comments section below.