Fair forecast? How 180 meteorologists are delivering ‘good enough’ weather data

Weather forecasts, too, are all about data and models these days. But balancing accuracy and viability is a fine act, especially on a global scale and when the stakes are high.
What’s a good enough weather prediction? That’s a question most people probably don’t give much thought to, as the answer seems obvious — an accurate one. But then again, most people are not CTOs at DTN. Lars Ewe is, and his answer may be different than most people’s. With 180 meteorologists on staff providing weather predictions worldwide, DTN is the largest weather company you’ve probably never heard of.
Case in point: DTN is not included in ForecastWatch’s “Global and Regional Weather Forecast Accuracy Overview 2017 – 2020.” The report rates 17 weather forecast providers according to a comprehensive set of criteria, and a thorough data collection and evaluation methodology. So how come a company that started out in the 1980s, serves a global audience, and has always had a strong focus on weather, is not evaluated?
DTN’s name stands for ‘Digital Transmission Network’, and is a nod to the company’s origins as a farm information service delivered over the radio. Over time, the company has adopted technological evolution, pivoted to providing what it calls “operational intelligence services” for a number of industries, and gone global.
Ewe has previous stints in senior roles across a range of corporations, including the likes of AMD, BMW, and Oracle. He feels strongly about data, data science, and the ability to provide insights to provide better outcomes. Ewe referred to DTN as a global technology, data, and analytics company, whose goal is to provide actionable near real-time insights for clients to better run their business.