Urban air mobility (UAM) is one of the next-generation transport systems that uses small, highly automated aircraft to carry passengers or cargo at lower altitudes in urban environments. Ensuring the safety and efficiency of these operations is critical for their successful commercialization in the near future. A deep understanding of urban meteorology is essential for the design and optimization of UAM flights, as urban atmospheric conditions significantly influence flight performance.

However, urban meteorology remains underexplored, particularly in operational forecasting and observations at fine spatial scales (hundreds of meters to kilometers) and temporal intervals (minutes to hours). Traditionally, urban meteorological phenomena have been treated as sub-grid processes in large-scale atmospheric models, limiting their application to UAM operations. Recently, there has been a growing demand for high-resolution, real-time meteorological data tailored to urban settings.

This session will explore findings from high-resolution numerical modeling, as well as real-time in-situ and remote observations. Topics will include, but are not limited to, severe weather phenomena driven by turbulence, atmospheric heating/cooling, and other complex surface-air interactions. We will highlight recent advancements in urban meteorology and discuss practical applications for UAM, sharing valuable insights gained through trials, challenges, and emerging solutions that guide us toward the right path.