Why IMD can't predict weather like US, Europe? Here are the reasons
India Today
Speaking to India Today, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra claimed that there are only 34 radars present in the country as of now. The number has increased by just six in the last 5 years.
Of late, there has been quite a controversy over the monsoon prediction by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Many feel that the weather body is not as efficient as its counterparts in the western countries. Social media is also buzzing with jokes about the weather predictions made by IMD and specifically for Delhi in the last fortnight or so. There were several yellow and orange alerts by the Met department but all of them missed the mark comprehensively. Monsoon forecasts have failed measurably in the case of Delhi.
People are also questioning why an extreme weather incident like a cloud burst at the Amarnath cave can't be forecast by the meteorological experts when the government is spending so much on getting new technology to compare it with the best in the world. These are valid questions up to a certain extent which needs an answer. Although the IMD has categorically clarified that its prediction is the best in the given circumstances, mistakes in predicting smaller weather developments like light rains and drizzles should not be a scale to measure the magnitude of failure.
Even 20 years of data gathered by the Data Intelligence Unit (DIU) of India Today suggested that the seasonal Monsoon predictions have gone wrong for many years during this period. The data also suggests that IMD predictions have improved marginally during the last 5 years but still need improvement. India Today talked to specialists, both in the IMD and outside, to find out why India is not predicting as accurately as the European countries and US.
Lack of Data to predict accurately through the Numerical Weather Model
The weather prediction models massively depend on the data gathered by highly specialised kinds of equipment. Different tools like Doppler radars, satellite data, Radiosondes, surface observation centers, computing tools, and advanced weather processing systems are needed to predict and forecast weather developments. Although India has added capacity in a few of these areas, it is lagging by a distance from the advanced countries in Europe and America.
Speaking to India Today, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra claimed that there are only 34 radars present in the country as of now. The number has increased by just 6 in the last 5 years. At the same time, the United States of America (USA) does a weather prediction with almost 200 doppler radars. According to the official website of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the USA has 159 doppler radars across its area.
J P Sharma from Skymet said, "The Numerical Weather Model depends on how much data you have given and what the quality of data is. If you provide the wrong information, then it will get rejected. Hence, the quality of data is quite important. We are adding networks but the speed we are adding is very slow and hence we are not getting the required amount of quality data for a pinpointed prediction."
A clip of devotees being pushed in the sanctum of Deoghar's Baidyanath Dham made BJP MP Nishikant Dubey slam the Hemant Soren government. However, it has triggered a larger debate on the treatment meted out to common people and the privilege given to VIPs.
The incident dates back to February 18, 2017, when Jitesh Kumar Gandhi attempted to withdraw Rs 10,000 from a State Bank of India ATM but received neither cash nor a transaction receipt. However, his account was debited.
The court imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Chhatrapal, while sentencing him to life imprisonment. The case underlined the importance of decisive eyewitness accounts like the mother's testimony in securing timely convictions.
The case relates to the killing of Umesh Kolhe on June 21, 2022, allegedly in retaliation for social media posts supporting former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma following her controversial remarks. Initially registered as a murder case, the investigation was later transferred to the NIA.
A pregnant woman was allegedly strangled by her husband following a monetary dispute in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district. Three family members have been arrested as police investigate the case.
Gurugram's Uppal Southend society publicly names maintenance defaulters and warns of service bans. The move boosts payments, with daily recoveries rising, even as residents remain divided over strict enforcement.
Maharashtra has formed an SIT led by IPS Tejaswini Satpute to probe sexual abuse allegations against Ashok Kharat, with an extortion link emerging and assets worth Rs 200 crore under scrutiny.
The three friends were part of a group of 12 people, all from Pune, who were returning from a Jammu and Leh-Ladakh trip. The remaining friends were in two other cars and were at a toll plaza at the time of the incident.
People in Duna village of Jharkhand's Latehar district blamed the man for the death of a woman in a road accident, alleging that he had caused it through sorcery.
India flagged Pakistan's clandestine nuclear proliferation history as a global threat, echoing concerns raised in a recent US intelligence assessment.
A suspected gang war incident was reported in Delhi's Bawana area, where armed assailants barged into a house and opened fire. Four people sustained bullet injuries in the attack, including a young boy who later succumbed.
The man has been identified as 40-year-old Rajveer, who was living with his 70-year-old mother, Satnam Kaur. His wife and their child resided in another housing society and though Rajveer used to visit them regularly, he had not gone there for the past two days.
Self-styled Nashik 'godman' Ashok Kharat has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman and exploiting others under the guise of religious practices.