Weather Channel Archive

Earlier this week, ad service Dapper announced a partnership with weather service Weather Underground. Dapper notes, "The new targeting product, called WeatherMatch combines Weather Underground’s ability to identify the weather conditions for pre-defined markets with Dapper’s ability to interchange content in real time within non-rich media Flash files."

While I couldn’t find any news of this, I feel like I’ve seen this type of ad targeting before – years ago. I am also unclear if the ad targeting based on weather conditions only shows up on the Weather Underground site or if the WeatherMatch program can also adjust ads based on weather conditions on other websites.

I like the concept – anything that advertisers and publishers can do to increase the interaction rates for ads and make them more attractive to end users is a good thing.

Here’s an example of what the ads might look like on the Weather Underground site for Home Depot during different weather conditions:

The Weather Channel is announcing a new partnership with Google to be the exclusive partner of weather data on Google Maps. This technology is also now available in Google Earth as well.

Here’s how you add the weather mapplet to Google Maps: Click My Maps on the left panel and then check the box next to the Weather Channel. You can add just the temperature (see below) or satellite and radar data.

I wonder if this affects The Weather Channel’s relationship with Microsoft? Currently Microsoft provides the mapping technology on the weather.com site. Does this potentially signal a change down the road to Google Maps for weather.com? I also wonder how this might affect traffic to weather.com – if I can get the current weather at the location I am traveling to while I print a map of how to get there, why even go to weather.com at all?

Here is an example of the weather – it’s pretty groovy!

Alright, it's rare that I "mark out" for a map, but I must say that this new feature from The Weather Channel is pretty dang cool. Using their new partnership with Microsoft and their Virtual Earth product, you can now actually see the weather in real-time for your block (in the U.S.). Instead of just seeing a radar image or satellite view of your area (I think 30 miles was the closest before), you can now zoom in as far as your street and see what's going on. I guess naysayers believe you could just look out your window, but that's so Web 1.0!

So what will Ft. Lauderdale look like when it rains on one side of the street but not the other? :)

From TWC: The new weather.com interactive map features a transparent slider bar, which controls the consumer's view of their weather. This new feature, coupled with the high-resolution Microsoft Virtual Earth imagery, gives users the unprecedented ability to see where significant weather is — and isn't — occurring in their immediate area. The new tool is available for virtually any location worldwide.

Deslie Quinby, vice president weather.com, "Maps are one of the most viewed areas on weather.com so we are constantly looking for ways to enhance them with the latest technology. Microsoft Virtual Earth gives us an ideal platform to build on and has enabled us to give consumers the most advanced and functional weather map online with our industry leading weather data."