Weather forecasts

The Government has created the Ministry of Earth Sciences to bring ocean and atmospheric observations together and also generate better weather forecast. There is a plan to not only significantly improve the density of the observational network but also technologically upgrade it through installation of equipments such as Doppler Weather Radar, Automatic Rain Gauges, wing Profilers, etc. In addition an memorandum of Understanding with METEO France (the French Meteorological Agency) has been signed to jointly work on modeling and strengthening the IT infrastructure to improve the capabilities of India Meteorological Department (IMD). IMD will have a relatively modern and well equipped forecasting system by the end of 2008.

The problem which IMD is facing is that not enough investment has been made in the area of instrumentation over the years to make the observation network dense. Apart from this significant R&D efforts is also lacking in the area of developing a suitable model for the weather systems in this part of the world. It is a fact that in our region meso-scale systems often develop suddenly and display erratic behaviour as compared to the extra tropical regions, which are characterised by frontal type of weather systems displaying systematic development and movement. Hence weather forecasting in our country is different and more difficult.

This information was given by the Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Kapil Sibal in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : July 31, 2006