Journal Article

Extreme heat prediction through deep learning and explainable AI

Shafiq, Fatima, Asghar, Muhammad Nabeel, Zafar, Amna, Albesher, Abdulmohsen Saud, Ghani Khan, Muhammad Usman, Iqbal, Sajid

2025

Overview

Extreme heat waves are causing widespread concern for comprehensive studies on their ecological and societal implications. With the ongoing rise in global temperatures, precise forecasting of heatwaves becomes increasingly crucial for proactive planning and ensuring safety. This study investigates the efficacy of deep learning (DL) models, including Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Conolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM), using five years of meteorological data from Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), by integrating Explainable AI (XAI) techniques to enhance the interpretability of models. Although Weather forecasting has advanced in predicting sunshine, rain, clouds, and general weather patterns, the study of extreme heat, particularly using advanced computer models, remains largely unexplored, overlooking this gap risks significant disruptions in daily life. Our study addresses this gap by collecting five years of weather dataset and developing a comprehensive framework integrating DL and XAI models for extreme heat prediction. Key variables such as temperature, pressure, humidity, wind, and precipitation are examined. Our findings demonstrate that the LSTM model outperforms others with a lead time of 1–3 days and minimal error metrics, achieving an accuracy of 96.2%. Through the utilization of SHAP and LIME XAI methods, we elucidate the significance of humidity and maximum temperature in accurately predicting extreme heat events. Overall, this study emphasizes how important it is to investigate intricate DL models that integrate XAI for the prediction of extreme heat. Making these models understood allows us to identify important parameters, improving heatwave forecasting accuracy and guiding risk-reduction strategies.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Accuracy / Artificial intelligence / Artificial neural networks / Biology and Life Sciences / Climate change / Computer and Information Sciences / Computer models / Datasets / Decision making / Deep Learning / Earth Sciences / Explainable artificial intelligence / Extreme Heat / Extreme weather / Forecast accuracy / Forecasting - methods / Global temperatures / Heat / Heat waves / Hot weather / Humans / Humidity / Imports / Laws, regulations, etc / Lead time / Machine learning / Mathematical models / Maximum temperatures / Meteorological data / Meteorological research / Methods / Neural networks / Neural Networks, Computer / Pakistan / Parameter identification / People and Places / Physical Sciences / Predictions / Rain / Research and Analysis Methods / Risk reduction / Short term memory / Summer / Technology application / Temperature / Testing / Weather / Weather forecasting / Weather patterns