Microsoft has unveiled its new AI-powered weather prediction model, Aurora, which it claims outperforms traditional forecasting systems in both speed and accuracy. Trained on over a million hours of satellite, radar, and ground station data, Aurora can predict typhoons, hurricanes, sandstorms, and air quality events across the globe.
In tests, Aurora correctly predicted the landfall of Typhoon Doksuri in the Philippines four days in advance and tracked tropical cyclones more effectively than the US National Hurricane Center during the 2022–2023 season. It also accurately forecasted a severe sandstorm in Iraq in 2022.
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Microsoft has open-sourced Aurora’s code and model weights, allowing researchers and developers worldwide to build on its capabilities. Despite its complex training, Aurora delivers forecasts within seconds—far quicker than legacy systems that rely on supercomputers.
A specialised version of Aurora is set to power Microsoft’s MSN Weather app, bringing AI-driven hourly updates to users. Experts say the model could transform how meteorologists and climate scientists monitor and respond to extreme weather.
