If you’re traveling anywhere, you probably want to know that there’s some severe weather. Starting today, Google will provide us with that information through a new dedicated site. Google on Wednesday announced the launch of Google Public Alerts, a service that delivers important, timely information about threatening weather conditions through Google Maps.
Public Alerts, a project from Google.org’s Crisis Response Team, taps into data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Weather Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to provide weather alerts from all over the country.
When you click on a particular alert, Google Public Alerts will give you all the necessary details.
I tried out the service by searching “Dallas.” When I clicked on the Flood Warning for Dallas County, Tex. it told me how severe the flooding is, which areas are most heavily affected, how high the waters are, and how long the warning will last. It also recommended several actions, like not driving through flooded areas and exercising caution when walking near riverbanks.
The service also defined what a Flood Warning is, and listed links to other resources including what to do before, during, and after a flood.
Link: google.org/publicalerts