Chongqing Expands AI-Powered Weather Services, Targets Faster Warnings in 2026

Chongqing - From sudden downpours to heat waves, Chongqing sent out 11,000 warning messages in 2025, reaching the public 120 million person-times after expanding 15 categories of alert dissemination channels, according to information released on February 28 by the Chongqing Meteorological Bureau. 

The city also stepped up artificial intelligence use in meteorological operations and upgraded its “digital-intelligent” weather service technology system.

The upgrades come as the bureau pushes to modernize weather services for a megacity with complex terrain and high exposure to floods, heat, and severe convective storms.

The bureau said the city's meteorological hazard monitoring reached 92%, and short-term and nowcasting warning lead time increased to 47 minutes. An "electronic geofence" alert delivery technology achieved full coverage across China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom. 

Monitoring and data integration also advanced. A "meteorology plus big data" platform enabled unified storage and shared access to data from 26 industry departments, the bureau said. Average spacing between ground observation stations reached 5.4 kilometers, and radar coverage at one kilometer above ground reached 95.8%, improving detection of storms and heavy rainfall close to the surface.

On forecasting, Chongqing reported deploying the "Tianzi·12h (2.0)" AI model, providing hourly-updated forecasts for the Chengdu–Chongqing region at one-hour, one-kilometer resolution. The bureau said it also built a seamless 0–60-day intelligent gridded weather-and-climate forecasting network, with skill scores for four forecast items- 24-hour maximum temperature, sunshine/rain, heavy rain, and monthly temperature- ranking among the top five nationwide.

The bureau said 11 departments jointly issued an action plan to build an infectious disease monitoring and early-warning system. For the first time, Chongqing meteorological authorities and the municipal disease control administration jointly released high-temperature health risk and influenza risk alert products.

Urban waterlogging risk warnings were refined to specific inundation points, power-load forecasting error fell to 4.8%, and inland river shipping service quality ranked first nationwide. For residents, this means more practical alerts to help them plan daily life and stay safe, along with more reliable city services like power supply and shipping.

More reliable, real-time weather support can help keep trade routes and logistics running smoothly—reducing delays and disruptions that affect deliveries, prices, and supply stability. These smart meteorological services now support major platforms including the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and have been integrated into the corridor’s operations center and the Guoyuan Port logistics dispatch system, alongside work supporting China-Europe Railway Express freight rail logistics.

For 2026, the bureau said Chongqing will deepen AI use in meteorological services, including developing AI agents and deploying open-source large models such as DeepSeek and Qwen. It also plans to expand observation networks with micro X-band weather radars and wind-profiler lidars, improve localized AI forecast evaluation, and strengthen precision alerts through electronic geofencing, flash messaging, emergency broadcasts, and cable TV.

Safer and more reliable low-altitude operations—such as drone flights—could benefit from expanded wind and fog monitoring and more tailored forecasts, the bureau said, as Chongqing steps up meteorological support for its low-altitude economy and continues pilot programs in Yongchuan and Liangping districts.