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arXiv · 2506.21816

The First Compute Arms Race: the Early History of Numerical Weather Prediction

Charles Yang
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Abstract

This paper traces the global race to apply early electronic computers to numerical weather prediction in the decades following World War Two. A brief overview of the early history of numerical weather prediction in the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, Canada, and Japan is provided. Three critical factors that shaped the development of a national numerical weather prediction are identified: compute capabilities, institution building and state capacity, and talent. Several generalizable lessons are identified with a lens towards modern-day development of national strategies to leverage AI to accelerate scientific competitiveness.

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Charles Yang. 2025-04-13. The First Compute Arms Race: the Early History of Numerical Weather Prediction. https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.21816

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