Weather plays an important part in the Winter Olympic Games, affecting the progress of the sport and the outcome of each event. Weather forecasts that can accurately predict snowfall and rainfall are crucial to both competitors and organizers of any major sporting event.

In preparation for the upcoming PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games, taking place from Feb. 9 to 25, 2018, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) is set to begin trial runs for its online Smart Weather Service.

During a series of test events that will take place in and around Pyeongchang between Nov. 25 and April next year, the KMA will provide weather forecasts at the 12 main venues, making the data available to the athletes, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and to the local organizing committee.

The Smart Weather Service collects data from stand-alone weather sensors installed at each stadium or venue, and from automatic weather sensors and snowdrift video sensors set up in the vicinity. The equipment transmits real-time information to the official website.

Based on the results during the trial period, the KMA will add finishing touches to the online service, to be completed by the end of 2017. Starting from the end of 2017, the website will also provide other relevant news, like updates on the Olympic torch relay and traffic information along the Yeongdong Expressway. The website will go into full service in February and March 2018 during the Olympic Games.

"We're testing the Smart Weather Service to find out which areas may need improvement, so that we're able to provide more accurate information during the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games," said Ko Yunhwa, head of the KMA.

The PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games Smart Weather Service can be found at its official website: http://pc2018.kma.go.kr.

By Lee Hana
Korea.net Staff Writer
hlee10@korea.kr