Real-time weather monitoring now accessible through Project Noah

Manila, Philippines—Named after the Biblical ship that saved lives—man and animals—from massive flooding, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) introduces Project Noah, which aims to help Filipinos make informed decisions in times of typhoons.

“This project enables us to have nearly real-time monitoring of the weather. All you have to do is visit the Pagasa website and use the tools we provide,” said University of the Philippines professor Alfredo Mahar Lagmay said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer Wednesday.

Lagmay, who is also a columnist of the Philippines Daily Inquirer, is the director of Project Noah or the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards.

Lagmay said the two-month-old project uses tools and censors that monitor clouds and gauge the amount of rainfall in a particular area.

Though still in the early stage, he said the project would help Filipinos have a better understanding and awareness of weather conditions.

Lagmay enumerates some instances when it will be very helpful to the public even when there’s normal weather condition.  “A farmer before drying un-milled rice under the sun, a fisherman before sailing for his daily catch, a family about to go on vacation, they will know immediately if it’s going to rain or not.”

“Nagagamit natin yan para mas maganda ang decision natin (We’re able to use that to have a sound decision),” he said.

He pointed out the primary reason they came up with the project is to mitigate the effects of natural hazardous events. “We’d like to avoid another disaster like Typhoon Ondoy,” he said.

Lagmay said Project Noah, however, will complete its coverage of the whole Philippines by the end of 2013.

For the full interview listen to the attached audio clip from Radyo Inquirer 990AM.