Conagua and Google Partner to Apply AI in Weather Forecasts

The National Water Commission (Conagua), through the National Meteorological Service (SMN), has signed a technical cooperation agreement with the technology company Google LLC. This agreement aims to implement and evaluate artificial intelligence-based tools for weather forecasting, as well as to develop institutional capabilities for processing meteorological and climate data through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

Through this strategic alliance, the SMN will gain early access to state-of-the-art models and technological tools, with technical capabilities that will enable it to identify extreme hydrometeorological phenomena earlier and strengthen early warning systems for the risk of flash floods. As a result, it is expected to provide more accurate data to the National Civil Protection System to optimize preventive measures aimed at safeguarding the population.

The agreement stipulates that the SMN will be responsible for evaluating and technically validating products developed using artificial intelligence, adapting their algorithms to Mexico’s specific meteorological, hydrological, and territorial conditions. Furthermore, the integration of this advanced technology aims to complement ongoing efforts to monitor, forecast, and issue alerts regarding high-impact weather events.

The goal of this collaborative effort is to foster greater coordination between publicly available meteorological knowledge and private-sector technological development, thereby improving the generation of more timely and useful information for strategic decision-making in response to environmental contingencies.

From an operational and legal standpoint, it is stipulated that each party will operate using its own resources. Similarly, Conagua and Google will retain ownership, control, and sovereignty over the information they provide throughout the term of the agreement, in strict compliance with applicable laws and regulations.