Google, the fountain of knowledge that it is, is always looking for ways in which they can not only collect data and information, but also, relay that same data and information to the people that need it. More importantly, when they need it. A prime example of this came through last week when Google announced the launch of Project Sunroof. In short, Sunroof was a way in which those interested in adopting solar panels and making use of solar energy, could find information about their property, how much sunlight it is likely to get, how effective the solar energy obtained would be and even links to companies who operate nearby and could install the panels for them. Likewise, a couple of days ago saw rumors developing that Google might be planning to work on how they can bring pothole information to drivers.
Well, it now seems that Google are launching another service which is again designed to make sure those who need to know, do know, when they need to do. The new service is more of an update to the older Public Alerts service from Google than an actual new service like Sunroof. The new update is designed to make sure those who could be affected by storms or tornadoes have all the info they need immediately at their disposal. The blog post detailing the latest update states that the effects of Katrina is what helped fuel the idea of how they could make sure people could get hold of such extreme weather warnings and be better prepared. As a result, now when you search for a specific storm on Search, you will be presented with a more detailed response than you might have had before.
The new information will include details on the current position of the storm in map form. The map will also include visualizations of how the storm or tornado is expected to move, its wind severity and likely arrival times at your location. Not to mention, the search results will also provide some useful instructions on how to stay safe and prepare for the storm/tornado’s arrival. In fact, on this last point, Google notes that the response you get will be directly relevant to the current position of the storm. So, if you search while the storm is still some distance away, the results might simply be in-advance preparations for what you can do. While if it is imminently arriving, then you will receive more emergency and urgent instructions and information. Those interested in knowing more can read the full blog post by hitting the source link below.
