NOAA has brought Tomorrow.io on board to help modernize the country’s weather prediction systems. The company will provide contracting support for the Earth Prediction New idea Center (EPIC), a program focused on updating NOAA’s operational modeling. The goal is to accelerate work on the Unified Forecast System (UFS), an Earth modeling platform built around open science and cooperation between the public and private sectors.
NOAA’s strategy is to break down barriers between agencies and organizations while unifying model development, so research moves into daily operations more quickly. The new contract with Tomorrow.io is part of that effort. NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., described EPIC as an chance to strengthen U.S. leadership in weather prediction by drawing on expertise across government and academia, with industry also involved.
In September 2026, Tomorrow.io was also named a commercial provider under NOAA’s long-term satellite data contracts for multiple observation categories, including radio occultation and multispectral imaging.
EPIC, launched in 2019, was set up to open NOAA’s modeling infrastructure to a wider research community. By involving universities and public agencies, with private companies also taking part, the program aims to move scientific advances into the operational models used by the National Weather Service more quickly. EPIC handles planning and scientific work, while Tomorrow.io will focus on software and engineering, along with user support for a system serving a broad range of users.
The Unified Forecast System is NOAA’s answer to the patchwork of older models. Rather than run separate systems for the atmosphere, ocean, and land, the UFS brings them together in one flexible structure. The aim is to deliver more accurate, timely forecasts, from local storms to global climate patterns. Tomorrow.io’s experience will matter as NOAA adds the Model for Prediction Across Scales (MPAS), the computational engine for the new system’s atmospheric forecasts.
Ken Graham, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service, called the partnership a step toward building a fully integrated Earth System Model. For the Weather Service, this goes beyond a technical update: it is about preparing the country better for severe weather and water events.
Official NOAA materials describe EPIC as part of a broader strategy to modernize forecasting infrastructure through open science and community-driven development. The approach aims to speed the integration of new models and data, giving private providers more ways into the national meteorological system.
Thomas Cavett, Tomorrow.io’s vice president for U.S. Federal Business, said the company is committed to strengthening the nation’s forecasting models and infrastructure. He pointed to Tomorrow.io’s experience in AI modeling and satellite observations as a good fit for NOAA’s mission to protect lives and property in the US and partner countries.
EPIC’s role is backed by legislation. The Weather Research and Forecasting New idea Act of 2017 and the National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2018 both direct NOAA to improve weather data and the modeling behind forecasts. Congress has made clear that accelerating community-driven advances is a matter of public safety and economic security.
By bringing Tomorrow.io into the project, NOAA is moving toward a more open, collaborative approach. Sharing responsibility for high-performance computing and community engagement marks a shift away from closed, incremental development. The focus is a system that can keep pace with scientific progress and the demands of a changing climate. The partnership could set a new example for how public agencies work with private companies on critical infrastructure, while raising expectations for what US weather forecasting can deliver in the coming years.
