Key Benefits of Thermal Mapping

• Identification of potentially dangerous sections.  Thermal Mapping provides the temperature relationship across a whole network identifying those sections of the road which are likely to freeze first.  This may not be apparent from using road weather stations alone.

• Enables selective anti-icing strategies. Thermal Mapping can identify and allow targeting of those areas in need of treatment, along with providing key input data for Route Optimization.

• Identifies the optimum location and number of road weather stations.   Thermal Mapping identifies sections of road with stable thermal characteristics which are representative of a network and/or Climatic Domain, thus identifying optimum locations for weather stations.

• Extends ice prediction from site specific weather stations to an entire road network.  Thermal Mapping enables the provision of Forecast Thermal Maps in an Ice Prediction System.   Thermal Maps provide information on the relationship of road surface temperatures between weather stations as it enables the extrapolation of minimum temperatures across the whole network.

• Provides quantitative reference data.

The power of Thermal Mapping as a decision-making tool is maximised when integrated into the Vaisala's Ice Prediction System.  Site specific forecast data from a road weather station can be extended to all roads within a network using Thermal Mapping. 

Below - Forecast Thermal Map, as shown in Vaisala's IceCast IceView display software.

Thermal Mapping is an integral part of Vaisala's Ice Prediction System providing users with forecast minimum temperature maps across an entire network.  Thermal Mapping also proves invaluable when considering the siting of weather stations.  If weather stations are only located in the coldest sections of a network this may lead to a pessimistic winter maintenance strategy.  This can result in unnecessary treatment operations and expense.