Preface

Weather forecasting is the process of using atmosphere, land, ocean, and meteorology data to project the weather of a given location. Forecasting mainly depends on precipitation, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, sunshine hours, and cloud cover. Nowadays, it relies on model-based numerical calculations. However, human efforts to select the appropriate forecast model are also involved, necessitating that the meteorologist have knowledge of model performance and biases. The uncertainty in weather forecasting is due to the complicated nature of the atmosphere, complex calculations, and lack of understanding of the atmosphere and related processes. The use of statistical models, artificial intelligence techniques, machine learning models, the Kalman filter, and other advanced methods help meteorologists reduce errors in weather predictions.

Weather warnings are important because governments use them to protect life and property. In addition, predicting temperature and precipitation is important for agriculture. According to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, weather forecasting is integral to meeting targets 2 and 13: zero hunger and climate action, respectively.

This book presents recent developments in scientific research on weather and climate in the context of currently ongoing processes in the extreme environments of Asian, African, and European regions. It provides in-depth case studies from Pakistan, the United States, Vietnam, Nigeria, and Africa. The global and interdisciplinary results of these studies help us to understand and address the grand challenges of weather as well as its impact on society.

Weather forecasting and climate change have to be carefully considered and monitored in order to educate for advancement in weather forecasting and to implement strategies of resilience, adaptation, and mitigation for meeting the SDGs.

> **Dr. Muhammad Saifullah** Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Engineering, MNS University of Agriculture Multan, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan

Section 1
