The Global Internet infrastructure is composed on large fibre optics cable network powered by large server centers all around the world. These server centers are made up off many hundreds of thousands of server computers; storing, processing information. These server computers sits inside server rooms, in a optimal operational environment for maximum performance optimization.
Heat is produced when a computer is running at high speed generated by serval part of the machine, CPU, GPU etc, which will cause a drop in performance. In order to maintain the maximum performance, water cooling systems are building to dissipate the heat. With hundreds of thousands of computers, it requires a lot of water. That is the reason why many server centers would be built next to rivers or areas with stable water supply.
“A punishing heat wave currently gripping the UK and other parts of Europe is wreaking havoc on Google and Oracle cloud servers, particularly those located in datacenters that are not built to take the high heat. Over 34 locations exceeded the UK’s previous temperature record of 38.7°C recorded in July 2019, and the country recorded its hottest-ever temperature, 40.3°C (104.5°F) in Coningsby in Lincolnshire.”
https://www.pcgamer.com/google-oracle-datacenters-melt-down-in-extreme-european-heatwave/
Combining the heat waves, the heat generated by server computers, many server centers were under stress to cool their systems.
Being able to forecast the heat for the future months, or even weeks or days would give these operations a pre-warning to plan ahead, making sure they have the cooling and operational stability under control.
Also as global temperature continue to rise, extreme heat waves keeps breaking record high, combining with drought causes many area’s water source to run dry. Thus being able to forecast, plan ahead to strategically place server centers and pre-warn if the water supply will run low for specific centers will be critical for maintaining service’s stability.
Climate Tech Blog 