Government investments and developments in Guiyang’s big data industry have allowed meteorologists in Guizhou province to make long term air quality index (AQI) predications.

Just a few years ago, the city could only make accurate AQI predications a few hours in advance based on the real-time data collected at monitoring stations.

“Now we can forecast the air quality for the next 48 hours and with a precision rate in excesses of 70 percent,” said Ma Linda, director of Guiyang’s environment and air quality prediction center, who puts the new forecasting abilities down to the development of big data.

The city has expanded the number of monitoring stations to 22 to collect more data and make better prediction models.

The predications are made based on meteorological and air condition cloud-charts, the previous air quality and meteorological data, and other data of pollution source distribution and geographical conditions.

Larger amounts of data and more reliable predictions have also allowed authorities to pinpoint concentrations of pollution, such as areas of traffic congestion and construction sites.

“The city plans to set up a technical platform to control air pollution through the precise analyses of pollution sources by applying big data,” said Liu Qiang from the city’s atmosphere office.

Edited by Jacob Hooson