10 Doppler weather radars to enhance weather forecasting in North East, Himachal
Locations in Assam include Guwahati, Dhubri, Jorhat, Tezpur and Silchar.
New Delhi: The government has started acquisition and installation of 10 X-Band Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) to improve weather forecasting and monitoring in Lahaul and Spiti districts of North East Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, informed Parliament on Thursday.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh announced in the Rajya Sabha that these radars will be installed at strategic locations across the northeastern states.
Assam includes Guwahati, Dhubri, Jorhat, Tezpur and Silchar; Aizawl in Mizoram; Dimapur in Nagaland; Imphal in Manipur; and Mandala Top and Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh.
“The radar is expected to significantly enhance the region's capacity to monitor and respond to weather-related incidents,” the minister said.
Dr. Singh announced that along with the installation in the Northeast, the government has also finalized the procurement of X-band Doppler weather radars for Lahaul and Spiti districts.
“The radar will play an important role in enhancing weather forecasting in the Himalayan region, which is prone to sudden and extreme weather changes, and underlines the government's commitment to improve disaster preparedness and provide accurate weather information to the citizens of the region,” he said.
The deployment of this radar is part of the government's wider initiative to strengthen the country's meteorological infrastructure.
“By enabling more accurate and timely weather forecasting, these radars will contribute to better disaster management, potentially saving lives and reducing property damage during extreme weather events,” he stressed.
X-band radars operate in the wavelength range of 2.5-4 cm and in the frequency range of 8-12 GHz. Their shorter wavelengths make them more sensitive for detecting fine particles. However, X-band radars are easily attenuated, limiting their use to short-range weather observations. They are commonly used in research on cloud formation and light precipitation, as they are excellent at identifying microscopic water droplets and snow.
(with IANS input)
