5G Will Interfere with Weather Forecast Accuracy According to Experts

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given permission for 24 GHz band which is one of the wide spectrum of 5G. Experts, however, are concerned about how future global use of 5G will lead to major catastrophic disasters caused by the inaccurate weather forecast.

This isn’t exactly the range that weather forecast use, but it’s dangerously close since scientists rely on 23.8 GHz band to collect data of atmospheric conditions. If multiple gadgets and towers are firing 5G signal, they may interfere with weather forecasting equipment, dropping the accuracy to as low as 70%.

The drop in accuracy is caused by “77% data loss from our passive microwave sounders” according to Dr. Neil Jacobs, the acting chief of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Microwave data sounder is critical in predicting disastrous weather and to help government sound the warning early.

Hurricane Sandy, for example, was a situation when microwave sounder data was not used to predict its track. Without it, experts thought that the hurricane won’t hit the shore. But it did hit New Jersey and caused $70 billion worth of damage.

Dr. Neil Jacobs emphasized the risk, “This would result in the reduction of hurricane track forecast lead time by roughly two to three days.” Due to the risk, it’s expected for the development of 5G to experience a halt, at least until its impact on weather forecast accuracy can be addressed.

“Don’t allow wireless companies to operate in a 24 GHz band until vital weather forecasting operations are protected,” says a letter wrote to FCC from Democratic senators, Ron Wyden and Maria Cantwell. Continuous expansion and traffic on 24 GHz may “lead to dangerous impacts to American national security, to American industries, and to the American people.”