Accessing weather data can be tricky, and while smart speakers and virtual assistants can provide a snapshot of the forecast, trying to build a complete picture without spending time on a screen is nearly impossible.
Sonic Weather could potentially be the solution to this problem, as it is a site-specific project that provides an alternative to visual weather data.
Developed by Abeer Mohamed, Sonic Weather blends “environmental soundscapes with synthesised and procedural audio” to represent “patterns, transitions, and atmospheres within everyday weather conditions.”
The initial idea for this project came about as Abeer was interested in “making daily weather information more accessible and usable in situations where visual attention is limited or unavailable.”
Although visually impaired people can access weather data through apps and smart speakers, Abeer explained that these methods don’t provide the user with much information. She said: “While these tools are functional, they typically provide generic summaries with limited detail, which can make the information feel incomplete and difficult to relate to lived experience.”
Sonic Weather aims to offer a more comprehensive and detailed representation of weather data, while providing a listening experience that is enjoyable and not purely informational.
“It draws on the ability of sound to communicate subtle details intuitively,” she said.
“Examples include representing different rain intensities or wind directions, which are difficult to convey through spoken descriptions alone. In addition, the project links weather events to their timing throughout the day, giving users a clearer sense of how conditions will unfold and what they can expect from their day-to-day weather experience.”
The sound samples of weather patterns are created by combining field recordings with “synthesised sounds, Foley techniques, and data sonification.”
Audio examples
Dr Tony Stockman, who is a board member of the International Community of Auditory Displays, has been actively involved in numerous projects that improve accessibility for those with visual impairments. He stated:
“Recorded elements include bird song, rain fall, and the sounds of twigs leaves blown in the wind.”
Dr Stockman explained the various techniques that Abeer uses to develop detailed soundscapes.
“As an example,” he said. “The recordings of rainfall are used to drive a granular synthesis process, in which the recordings of rain are broken down into tiny fragments, or grains, which are later recombined to mix various sound sources at different levels and generate diverse, realistic, and multilayered rainfall textures varying from gentle drizzle to torrential rainfall. Other elements in the sonification, such as temperature, wind, and time passing, are similarly represented by combining recordings with sound synthesis, foley techniques, and parameter mapping.”
Although it was originally developed as an accessibility tool, Abeer thinks that sonic Weather could benefit a wider audience. An auditory representation of weather information could also “benefit sighted users in high-attention contexts, such as driving or multitasking where checking visual interfaces may be impractical or unsafe.”
Abeer plans to expand the project beyond a “prototype into a functional and widely accessible application.” She stated: “A key goal is to evolve the system into a mobile app that supports major cities around the world, while retaining the site-specific nature of the work by integrating the unique sonic identity and environmental soundscape of each location into the design. There is also strong potential to expand the project’s accessibility features such as integrating haptic feedback alongside sound to enable a richer multisensory experience for visually impaired users.”
Ultimately, Sonic Weather aims to “continue exploring how site-specific, aesthetically driven auditory displays can communicate environmental data in ways that are both practical and engaging across everyday contexts.”
You can learn more about Sonic Weather at the International Sound Directory.
