RoadSurf: a modelling system for predicting road weather and road surface conditions

Abstract

Forecasting of road surface and traffic conditions is an important aspect of traffic safety and winter road maintenance, especially in the harsh northern climate. The weather conditions can change quickly, for example, with the onset of snowfall or during rapid temperature variations. A prior knowledge of road weather is important from a public road safety standpoint. Proper consideration of upcoming weather events also helps the road maintenance authorities to attend the roads in an effective and economical manner. In Finland, the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) is duty bound to issue warnings of hazardous traffic conditions to the general public. To strengthen these services towards more efficient estimation of rapidly varying conditions of the road surface at a national scale, a simulation model, RoadSurf, has been developed. As input, the model employs numerical weather forecasts, either directly or after modifications made by meteorologists, as well as observations from synoptic or road weather stations and radar precipitation measurement network. As output, the model produces not only road surface temperature, but also road surface condition classification and a traffic index describing the driving conditions in more general terms, as well as road surface friction. The model has been in operational use since 2000. In addition to the original goal of providing road weather forecasts for the national road network, the model has been used in several other applications, for example, in predicting pedestrian sidewalk conditions and in numerous intelligent traffic applications. The present study describes the road weather model RoadSurf and its main applications.