India Meteorological Department (IMD) is planning to install more Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) in Nagpur city to collect accurate weather data. Nagpur city has four AWS -- Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport in Sonegaon; Ordnance Factory Ambajhari; ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research (ICAR-CICR) and Maharajbag Zoo -- which are providing the weather data on daily basis. “The existing AWS in city are providing weather data, operating on a 27 km grid. Whereas, under ‘Mission Mausam’, the new AWSs will work on numerical models with a resolution of 9 km,” said a senior meteorologist who is aware about the development.

 

“Though the proposal is in very initial stage but after its implementation, Nagpur city will get area specific rain and temperature data,” the meteorologist told The Hitavada. Currently, there are around 500 AWS in the country predicting accurate weather data and if the project takes shape as per the plan, then Central India will itself get around 500 such AWS in the next 10 years, claimed the meteorologist. Identification of space is a hectic task as the AWS should be installed away from people’s reach. Once it is installed, the AWS will generate data and share to the department, said the weatherman. IMD signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Government for installing Ordinary Rain Gauge (ORG) under District Rainfall Monitoring Schemes (DRMS) in all talukas.

 

These ORGs are run by the State Government and monitored by the Weather Department. These State-run weather stations are providing taluka wise weather data on daily basis in Nagpur division. “There is a need to install more AWSs in Nagpur as the city is expanding and there is drastic heterogeneity in climate. For example, Nagpur witnesses rains in some parts and at the same time, the other parts of the city are dry. In this situation, AWS will play a major role to calculate accurate data,” said Pravin Kumar, Scientist C, RMC, Nagpur.

 

 

Under ‘Mission Mausam’, IMD will get three new Radiosonde Radiowind (RSRWs) for Gondia, Akola and Chandrapur districts soon. RSRW refers to data collected from a network of stations that launch balloon-borne instruments called radiosondes. These instruments measure atmospheric parameters such as temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, and wind direction as they ascend, providing crucial data for weather forecasting and climate research. A total of 56 RSRWs are providing weather data all over the country, of which three are there in Maharashtra, including Nagpur, Mumbai and one in Madhya Maharashtra. These three new RSRWs will forecast accurate data of wind direction.