Published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature, Google’s study compared its predictive model, WeatherNext Cyclones, against the leading AI model GenCast, and the traditional model, the Ensemble Prediction System. Google’s model also beat traditional models at predicting wind radii, or how far out from the storm’s center damaging winds extend. The paper’s authors said their results challenge the field’s previous assumption that meteorologists need fine-grained data to forecast intensity well and called it an open question they don’t fully understand yet. Forecasters often start with a consensus of several high-performing models, he explained, then adjust based on where individual models diverge. The company said WN-C’s three-day forecasts are now about as accurate as two-day forecasts used to be, essentially giving an extra day of warning.