Brent Shaw
Brent Shaw is a Certified Consulting Meteorologist and VP of Weather Content and Customer Success at Iteris. In this role, Brent oversees data acquisition, creation, and quality control in support of transportation weather and global precision agriculture software-based services. He has been involved in applied meteorological research and development for over 20 years, spanning military, civilian, and commercial sectors. A native of Kansas City, he is now based in Norman, OK.
Data Management
September 18, 2018
Rainfall Revisited: Accurate Observations and Beyond
As a provider of weather analysis and forecast services to the agricultural industry, one of the most common questions I get asked is, “How accurate are your precipitation estimates compared to a gauge?” Earlier this year, I wrote a...
Analytics
July 23, 2018
How Machine Learning Plus Weather Information Can Help Us Feed the World
The world of technology-based solutions has been increasingly flooded with buzzwords like “analytics”, “big data”, and “Internet of Things”. In the past few years, the availability of cost-effective, large-scale cloud computing and open-source scientific programming libraries has led to...
Data Management
May 14, 2018
Rebounding Spring for 2018 Planting: Cold April Weather Finally Gives Way to Promising May Forecast
This month, I am taking a break from discussing weather technology or opining on how to better apply weather and soil information to agricultural problems. Instead, I am awakening my inner “weather weenie” to discuss our recent weather patterns...
Data Management
April 17, 2018
The Precipitation Problem in Agriculture
Precipitation is arguably the most important agricultural weather parameter, yet it is the most difficult variable to precisely measure. For a wide variety of agronomic decisions, accurate tracking of actual rainfall during the course of a season can be...
Market Watch
March 15, 2018
Estimating Field Weather and Soil Conditions
There is a favorite expression of mine that I love to apply to meteorology: “Measure with a micrometer, mark it with chalk and cut it with an axe.”
We can quickly get wrapped up in the allure of precision, spending...
Analytics
February 15, 2018
Agriculture Impacts Weather: The Case for Connected Ecosystems
It’s fascinating to see how modern technology has helped us increase our agricultural productivity in areas not otherwise suited for our higher value crops. When viewing the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles and southwest Kansas in Google Earth (see below),...
Data Management
January 16, 2018
Betting on Rain? The Accuracy and Reliability of Precipitation Forecasts
For you sports junkies out there, if I could prove to you that I can correctly predict winners and losers with 80% accuracy, would you use my advice in Las Vegas? I don’t gamble, but according to this article...
Data Management
November 14, 2017
Weather Forecasting: How Does It Work, and How Reliable Is It?
Do you ever wonder exactly how the weather forecast is made? And how good are they, really? In last month’s article, I discussed the accuracy and usefulness of seasonal weather outlooks. This month, I want to hone in on...
Data Management
October 18, 2017
Seasonal Weather Outlooks: High Risk Worth the Reward?
Often, when discussing weather service needs with a potential client, I am asked about the possibility of providing long-range weather forecasts. By “long-range,” I’m referring to weather forecasts beyond seven to 10 days — ranging from three-month seasonal outlooks...
Market Watch
September 12, 2017
Keeping Things in Perspective: Weather vs. Climate in Operational Decision Making
As I write this, we are on the heels of catastrophic flooding in Houston due to Hurricane Harvey, and another major storm, Hurricane Irma, is churning its way through Florida and raising fears throughout the southeastern states.
The floodwaters have...
Top Stories
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