HOT PURSUIT

Odd Weather Forecast Investigated After Polymarket Spike

France’s busiest airport recorded unexplained temperature spikes on weather sensors critical to operations.

French authorities are investigating potential tampering of critical weather sensors at Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport that could be tied to prediction market trading. Temperature readings spiked on two evenings this month, beating highs recorded from the daytime. According to Bloomberg, the sensors are both critical to aviation operations at the airport and are also relied upon as official data points in prediction markets, where traders can bet money on certain weather trends. On the two days of suspected tampering, money flowed to temperature predictions at the French airport at more than double the usual volume. One account on Polymarket recorded $21,000 in profit betting on temperature at the airport. Meteorologists inspected the sensors, which spiked 39 degrees Fahrenheit one day and 41 degrees Fahrenheit on the other day. After investigating, they filed a report with airport police for tampering with the system, as Bloomberg reports. Hacking weather systems at an airport is especially dangerous, as temperature data is needed for departing and arriving aircraft and is used by air traffic control to plan routes and spacing between airplanes.