Weather Channel uses mixed reality to show the effects of a hurricane

It’s one thing to read about a hurricane or even see a photo or a video. It’s another to see its effects on the actual, real-life objects around a reporter. 

The Weather Channel has been using mixed reality to great effect with its reporting on Hurricane Florence, showing how the water may rise and swallow buildings and cars in its path. 

One video, below shows the effect from a potential storm surge which could rise up to 9 feet in some areas. 

“We can show you what this could look like, if you were to find yourself in this scenario,” meteorologist Erika Navarro says. The map behind her disappears, and thanks to wonders of mixed reality, we can actually see the wind raging and the water rising on a street, complete with cars, trees and buildings in the background. 

The Weather Channel also posted another similar video on YouTube (below). 

The Verge says the Weather Channel has partnered with augmented reality company The Future Group to create the videos, which use the Unreal Engine, a video game development platform seen in many popular games today. 

“The weather is a visceral, physical thing, and we’re trying to recreate that in the most realistic way possible,” The Weather Channel’s vice president of design Michael Potts told The Verge. 

Hurricane Florence is a real, ongoing threat. It’s currently pummeling the coast of North Carolina with 90mph winds and heavy rain, the CNN reported Friday. The hurricane is expected to make landfall on Friday, with heavy rain and hurricane-force winds potentially lasting for days.