A method and system for assessing road conditions is provided. The method includes determining a road hazard condition for a road segment that may include a precipitation type, a pavement condition, and a visibility level. The precipitation type may be determined using radar data, satellite cloud classification data, weather station air temperature data, wiper status, mobile air data, speed ratio, or headlight status. The pavement condition may be determined using pavement temperature, precipitation type, automatic brake system status, traction status or a stability control observation, and a yaw rate. The visibility level may be determined using wind speed, relative humidity, percentage of fog lights on, percentage of high beams on, speed ratio, station visibility, station-reported visibility type, wildfire existence, wind direction, a dust existence indicator.

A thermal plate precipitation measurement system (300) and a method of operating the thermal plate precipitation measurement system (300) is provided. The thermal plate precipitation measurement system (300) includes a first thermal plate system (301A) with first and second thermal plates (302A, 303A) and a second thermal plate system (301B) with first and second thermal plates (302B, 303B). A precipitation rate can be determined by configuring the first and second thermal plates (302A, 303A) of the first thermal plate system (301A) at a first temperature and configuring the first and second thermal plates (302B, 303B) of the second thermal plate system (301B) at a second temperature different than the first temperature. A differential power consumption between the first and second thermal plates (302A, 303A, 302B, 303B) of each of the first and second thermal plate systems (301A, 301B) can be determined and the precipitation rate can be determined based on a difference between the differential power consumption of the first thermal plate system (301A) and the differential power consumption of the second thermal plate system (301B).