What is transportation forecasting?
Railroads and especially highway traffic are seriously impacted by the weather. Each year weather causes or contributes to 6,000 fatalities on American highways. Keeping roads free of snow is critical. Over a half-billion dollars a year are spent preparing for snows that are predicted but never materialize. Clearly there is economic incentive for improvement. Many states are now establishing networks of weather stations specifically to monitor highway weather conditions. Temperature forecasts are also important for trucking firms shipping perishable items. Sending an unheated truck through territory where the temperature can drop below zero can be a problem when there is a load of cut flowers on board. Railroads must be cognizant of severe weather (winds and tornadoes) as well as deep and drifting snows during the winter. Private forecasting firms work closely with many transportation companies.