• Source:JND
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Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata are slated to acquire urban radar networks for improved weather forecasting, following the model of a similar system installed in Mumbai last month, authorities stated on Wednesday (October 2). With the addition of four more X-band weather radars in Mumbai, the Ministry of Earth Sciences now has six altogether, covering an area of almost 50,000 square kilometres.

Within the next year, the same coverage would be extended to the other three cities, namely Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata, according to M Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

“We plan to extend similar coverage in the other three metros – Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata within the next one year,” M Ravichandran said.

Mission Mausam

This is a component of "Mission Mausam," a government initiative to enhance weather forecasting services by installing 50 doppler weather radars around the country.

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Every five minutes, the urban radar network will provide up-to-date information on cloud activity that is linked to thunderstorms and heavy downpours. An overview of the weather systems surrounding the cities in real time will be provided by integrating data from various radars.

Mumbai has now become the city that is being monitored the most in India to follow changing weather patterns thanks to the new radars. It already has two doppler weather radars at the moment.

The goal of Mission Mausam, which was authorised last month with an allocation of Rs 2,000 crore, is to use cutting-edge weather monitoring technology to make India "weather-ready and climate-smart."

Plans for fifty doppler weather radars, sixty radiosonde stations, one hundred disdrometres, ten wind profilers, and other weather monitoring equipment are included.