LSU-Shreveport Students’ AI-Powered Weather App Brings Innovation to U.S. Air Force Operations
May 13, 2025
When the Air Force Global Strike Command needed a better way to predict weather for mission planning, LSU-Shreveport computer science students delivered an advanced weather visualization tool that met the challenge.
LSUS computer science student Eliana Gafford presents her team’s weather app powered by artificial intelligence at an April 30 presentation in the LSUS Collaboratory.
– Catherine McNair/LSUS Continuing Education
As part of a senior capstone class, the students created a weather app integrating GraphCast, an artificial intelligence model by Google DeepMind. The app incorporates global maps with predictions for temperature, precipitation, and wind speed, and comparative analysis between the AI model and traditional weather models.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brian Tubbs said the LSUS team’s weather app delivered an immediate solution for Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, where the app is being beta-tested as part of “Project Airstorm.”
“Their work – from coding and integrating GraphCast to designing a user-friendly interface – has delivered a practical tool for Kirtland’s immediate needs," Tubbs said. "The LSUS team’s creativity and adaptability shone in design sprints and collaborative efforts, making them invaluable partners,”
The 58th Special Operations Wing will use the weather app to plan training missions and develop maintenance and installation operations.
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