Vodafone UK’s mobile network is set to be used as an environmental sensor to provide short-term predictions of rainfall, in a trial with a government-backed regional scheme charged with accelerating use of advanced wireless technology.

The operator is partnering with The River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region and network technology specialists Wireless DNA on the pilot, which aims to improve the accuracy of rain nowcasting: a form of very short-term forecasting.

Vodafone’s network will be used across parts of England and Wales close to the River Severn to monitor rainfall.

The operator explained “electromagnetic waves at certain frequencies are sensitive to precipitation, as water in the air affects the quality of the wireless link between masts. A microwave link can therefore function as a virtual rain gauge, providing pinpointed and precise precipitation data”.

Signal variations will be monitored by Wireless DNA with this data used as an early warning system for flooding.

In future, the information could be used to improve flood defences by regional organisation River Severn Partnership.

Vodafone added data gained from use of its network as an environmental sensor is more accurate than radar and provides greater detail than weather stations.

“Storms and extreme weather are becoming increasingly more frequent and destructive. Working with River Severn Partnership, we can use our cutting-edge technology to provide greater insight on weather forecasting and help mitigate the impact of extreme events”, Vodafone Business UK director Nick Gliddon said.

At MWC 2025 Barcelona, the operator demonstrated work with the European Space Agency and the UK government on using its infrastructure to record and predict weather events, and it previously partnered on Wireless DNA to use similar technology in Spain.