Note the accuracy of weather stations amongst new records | Latest News India

New Delhi:

The Union earth science ministry has instructed the Indian Meteorological Division (IMD) to make sure that all automated climate stations (AWS) are calibrated and maintained to make sure the accuracy of climate knowledge; A letter despatched after a collection of nationwide climate data had been set — principally by way of readings at automated monitoring stations.

High officers of the earth sciences ministry stated AWS is vital to increasing climate monitoring, particularly in distant areas of the nation, and the federal government needs to make sure that the information revealed from them is correct.

“In case any record-breaking knowledge is reported from such automated stations, we’ve requested IMD to confirm its accuracy earlier than publishing the information. This may stop pointless panic among the many public and can current an accurate image,” he stated.

IMD managing director (meteorology) M Mohapatra stated the Met division has considerably improved the accuracy of its knowledge and forecasts over time. They’re additionally taking steps to increase knowledge assortment entry in distant areas of the nation.

“We make sure that these sensors are correctly maintained and that the information collected by way of these stations is correct. Within the final 5 years, we’ve managed to determine stations even in essentially the most distant corners,” stated Mohapatra.

Many AWS and Agromet climate stations – the latter being stations for climate info for farmers – have recorded excessive readings in Delhi and NCR. For instance, on Tuesday, Ujwa in southwest Delhi recorded -0.8°C; that is the bottom minimal temperature recorded at any station within the nationwide capital in a minimum of 20 years. On Monday, the station recorded a minimal temperature of -0.5°C.

Equally, on Might 15, 2022, Safdarjung, Delhi’s consultant climate station, the place temperatures had been manually recorded, recorded a most temperature of 45.6°C, whereas Mungeshpur in northwest Delhi and Najafgarh in southeast Delhi – each AWS exceeded 49°C; it has by no means been seen on the town’s climate indicators earlier than.

In fact, the rapid environment of those three areas are completely different and so they can have an effect on regional temperatures, and IMD put in the 2 AWS solely a 12 months in the past, so previous tendencies weren’t current.

Delhi has 5 handbook climate stations at Safdarjung, Palam, Lodhi Street, Ridge and Ayanagar, the place readings are collected manually and a Met official makes use of a wide range of instruments to jot down the data at varied intervals all through the day.

Kalan – Najafgarh, Mayur Vihar, Sports activities Complicated, Mungeshpur, Jafarpur and Pitampura – are computerized stations the place knowledge is mechanically recorded and transmitted through servers by pre-calibrated climate instruments.

IMD officers stated computerized stations had been put in all around the metropolis from 2010 because the climate division required higher protection throughout the Commonwealth Video games (CWG). These stations require minimal house in comparison with a full-fledged observatory.

IMD has additionally lately put in agrometically climate stations in rural areas of the Capital to assist make forecasts for agriculture. These stations have particular gear to measure meteorological knowledge reminiscent of temperature, rain, air humidity, in addition to leaf wetness, and many others. It has sensors to foretell.

By 2020, IMD had over 700 AWS networks throughout the nation.

Mahesh Palawat, vice chairman (meteorology and local weather change) at Skymet Climate Providers, a non-public climate forecasting firm, stated the dearth of accuracy in IMD’s AWS might be as a consequence of an absence of upkeep and calibration of the machines. In a super scenario, he stated, AWS might be an asset because it improves knowledge assortment and presents a clearer image of how microclimates behave in a state.

“In AWS, sensors are put in within the open, so it turns into crucial to correctly preserve and calibrate gear. We (Skymet) have a community of over 6,000 automated climate stations nationwide, and that is a giant deal for us because it will increase knowledge factors and improves forecasts. It turns into an asset,” he stated.