Mission Mausam: How it will transform India's weather forecasting landscape

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched 'Mission Mausam'. (Representational image)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched 'Mission Mausam', which aims to make the country a "weather-ready" and "climate-smart" nation, as part of the events marking the 150th foundation day of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

PM Modi also released the IMD Vision-2047 document for weather resilience and climate change adaptation. It includes plans for weather forecasting, weather management and climate change mitigation.

What is ‘Mission Mausam’?

'Mission Mausam' aims to upgrade the capabilities of India’s weather department in forecasting, modelling, and dissemination. It will have a budget of Rs 2,000 crore for the first two years of its implementation.

It aims to achieve its target by developing cutting-edge weather surveillance technologies and systems, implementing high-resolution atmospheric observations, next-generation radars and satellites, and high-performance computers.

It will also focus on improving the understanding of weather and climate processes, provide air quality data that will help strategize weather management and intervention in the long run.

'Mission Mausam' aims to cover all aspects of weather and forecasting services offered in the country. As of now, IMD forecasts extreme events, such as heatwaves, up to 24 hours in advance with an accuracy rate of almost 97.99 per cent. However, the predicted accuracy for severe rainfall is only around 80 per cent.

Mission for next 5 years

Union Ministry of Earth Sciences Secretary M Ravichandran said the five-year mission would be implemented in two phases. The first phase, until March 2026, will focus on expanding the observation network. This includes adding around 70 Doppler radars, high-performance computers and setting up 10 wind profilers and 10 radiometers.

The second phase will focus on adding satellites and aircraft to further enhance observational capabilities. Over the entire five-year period, the ministry and its institutions -- the India Meteorological Department, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting -- will work to improve their understanding of weather and climate processes and prediction capabilities and develop weather management technologies.

Here are some expected benefits:

• More accurate forecasts will enable timely warnings and better preparedness, minimizing loss of life and property.
• Effective early warning systems will help in efficient disaster response and relief efforts.
• Accurate weather forecasts will assist farmers in making informed decisions about planting, irrigation, and harvesting, leading to increased agricultural yields.
• Better climate information will support sustainable development planning and decision-making across various sectors.
• Improved weather forecasting will benefit sectors like defense and aviation.