{"id":134762,"date":"2026-10-21T09:28:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T09:28:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.seeedstudio.com\/blog\/?p=134762"},"modified":"2026-10-21T09:28:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T09:28:18","slug":"urban-wind-rain-monitoring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.seeedstudio.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/21\/urban-wind-rain-monitoring\/","title":{"rendered":"How Wind and Rain Monitoring Supports Smart Urban Drainage?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Rain nourishes urban green spaces, while gentle winds improve ventilation and thermal comfort. Understanding these everyday benefits is the first step toward making better use of wind and rain in cities. For smart city planners, continuous monitoring of rainfall, wind speed, and wind direction provides valuable local data. This data can then support rainwater use, public space assessments, and risk analysis as weather conditions change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cities Need Wind and Rain\u2014and Must Adapt to Their Changes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Wind and rain are part of daily city life. They also bring measurable benefits. Rain nourishes green spaces and can become a source of water. Singapore uses about two-thirds of its land as water catchment, directing rainwater into 17 reservoirs<\/strong> before treating it for homes and businesses. Trees help keep rainwater out of drainage pipes during a storm. Based on New York City\u2019s 2007 tree data, an estimated 590,000 street trees intercept about 3.37 million cubic meters of rainwater each year<\/strong>. Their annual stormwater management benefit was valued at approximately US$35.63 million<\/strong>. Moderate winds can help cool streets and influence air quality. During 42 lake-breeze events<\/strong> recorded in Chicago in 2022, weekday breezes were associated with average ozone reductions of up to 6 ppb<\/strong> along the city\u2019s northeastern shoreline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These benefits have limits. In April 2024, heavy rain flooded roads around Dubai\u2019s airports, making it difficult for passengers and crews to reach them. The disruption led to 2,155 flight cancellations and 115 diversions<\/strong>. Emirates said the event cost the airline about US$110 million<\/strong>. In September of the same year, Typhoon Yagi affected Haikou. Haikou Meilan International Airport cancelled 204 flights on September 6 alone<\/strong>. Cranes, walls and scaffolding collapsed at some construction sites, and preliminary losses to building and municipal projects reached CNY<\/strong> 1.92 billion<\/strong>. Cities need to track rainfall, wind speed and wind direction as conditions change. That information helps them use rainwater, manage drainage and act before strong winds cause damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Do Strong Winds and Heavy Rain Affect Urban Transport and the Economy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The damage from a downpour does not end when water drains from the streets. During one extreme rainstorm, floodwater breached a subway flood barrier and rushed into a rail tunnel, trapping a train. In a separate road tunnel, more than a hundred vehicles were submerged<\/strong>. Even after the water receded, underground facilities and vehicles needed cleaning and repairs, while disrupted transport affected commuters and deliveries. The disaster caused tens of billions of yuan in direct economic losses<\/strong> across the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
In 2024, flooding, landslides and high winds from Hurricane Helene severely damaged western North Carolina in the United States. About 9,400 road sections and 846 public bridges<\/strong> were damaged. Part of Interstate 40 was washed away and remained fully closed for about five months. The state transportation department estimated US$5 billion<\/strong> in road and bridge repair costs. The state also estimated more than US$12.4 billion<\/strong> in losses from reduced business revenue. The impact of disrupted roads extended well beyond the cost of repairing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Wind Speed and Direction Affect Waterlogging on City Roads<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.seeedstudio.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Weather_sensor_blog_3-1-1030x579.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.seeedstudio.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Weather_sensor_blog_3-2-1030x773.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.seeedstudio.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Weather_sensor_blog_3-3-1030x773.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.seeedstudio.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Weather_sensor_blog_3-4-1030x387.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n