India to Boost Weather Forecasting Capabilities with New Mission
Context:
India’s weather forecasting capabilities are set to receive a significant boost with the launch of a new mission aimed at improving predictions for local and extreme weather events.
More on News:
- The mission will have a budget of at least Rs 10,000 crore, making it a substantial enhancement compared to the Monsoon Mission launched in 2012.
- This new initiative aims to address the limitations of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which has struggled with local-level accuracy, particularly during extreme weather events.
Weather Forecasting 
Key Highlights:
- A recent report highlighted that IMD’s rainfall forecasts for Mumbai were inaccurate on approximately 40% of the days in July.
- The mission will expand measurement networks, boost data collection, and refine simulation models.
- For example, events once expected only once in 50 to 100 years are now happening more frequently. Recent impacts include landslides in Kerala and lake outbursts in Sikkim and Uttarakhand.
- Current prediction software uses outdated global forecasting systems and weather models. While AI/ML technologies hold promise for better forecasts, their effectiveness relies on high-quality data.
- A promising development is the initiation of the Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS).
Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS)
Enhancements Under the New Mission:
- Research and Development: Focus on assessing climate change impacts.
- Weather Monitoring Network: Strengthening with more sophisticated instruments like Doppler radars.
- Weather Satellites: Deployment of new satellites, potentially from the INSAT-4 series, to provide high-resolution data.
- Existing satellites include INSAT-3D, INSAT-3DR, and INSAT-3DS.
- Integration of AI and ML: Greater use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in weather forecasting.
- IIT-Bombay researchers are already utilising AI/ML to forecast hyperlocal events in Mumbai.
Implications:
- It will focus on developing advanced simulation models for India and incorporating climate change scenarios, going beyond past efforts that mainly improved infrastructure and computing power.
- The government’s “Make in India” initiative and support for startups are driving the use of AI and machine learning for more precise weather predictions.
