SAARC Workshop on Weather Forecasting Techniques

Delegates from SAARC countries are discussing the Use of Satellite Products in day-to-day Weather Forecasting Techniques at a four-day workshop organized by the India Meteorological Department in New Delhi. The workshop inaugurated today by Dr. P.S. Goel, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences & Chairman, Earth Commission is being attended by about 16 foreign delegates from SAARC Countries viz. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, besides a large number of participants from the host country India.

Under the aegis of SAARC cooperation programme, Meteorology was one of the five areas chosen for cooperation since inception in 1981. The knowledge and expertise in the related field of Meteorology in the SAARC region is shared mostly through participation in the Seminars/ workshops hosted by Member States time to time.

SAARC Countries have had more than a fair share of weather & weather related disasters. Accurate day to day weather forecasting including Early Warnings of Tropical Cyclones, Track Prediction and associated weather, Heavy Precipitation, Western Disturbances, Seasonal and Long range rainfall prediction, forecasting floods, snow & avalanche etc. are vital for the SAARC Region. The satellite data are very important for accurate forecasting and monitoring of these events especially the cyclones and floods and also other events causing severe disasters, thus proved very useful information in saving lives & property & therefore the economy of the country.

The workshop aims at apprising working Scientists/Meteorologists of SAARC region with the use of meteorological data and imageries derived from the Satellite in day-to-day weather forecasting. INSAT data provides Earth Cloud Imageries in visible, Infrared and Water Vapour Bands. In addition, quantitative products such as Cloud Motion Vectors (CMVs), outgoing Longwave Radiation, Sea Surface Temperature and Quantitative Precipitation Estimates are also derived, which are vital inputs for weather forecasting.

It is planned to launch probably by the end of this year an advanced dedicated Meteorological Satellite, INSAT-3D which will give a quantum jump in satellite meteorology. This satellite shall have six channel Imager and 19 channel Sounder is first time being sent on a Indian Satellite. This satellite is almost similar to GOES Satellites of USA. The INSAT-3D data shall provide the following quantitative products in addition to earth imagery in six channels:

(i) Vertical Profiles of Temperature and Humidity.
(ii) Atmospheric Motion Vectors.
(iii) Outgoing Longwave Radiation, Quantitative Precipitation Estimates, Sea Surface Temperature, Snow Cover, Snow Depth, Fire, Smoke and Aerosol.
(iv) Upper Troposphere Humidity, Total Ozone, Fog, Normalized difference Vegetation Index, Flash Flood Analyzer, Himalayan Snow Cover and several other useful products.

All these data shall be used in weather forecasting by conventional methods and most of it shall be assimilated in Numerical Weather Prediction Models to archive greater accuracy. ISRO is also planning to launch Oceansat-II and Meghatropique Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites which will also be used for weather forecasting purposes.

A close cooperation is maintained between the SAARC Member Countries to achieve the scientific objectives of the cooperation programme. The Satellite division is well equipped with receiving Satellite data equipment and Computer facilities to discharge its responsibilities.

After the deliberations, SAARC workshop will come up with recommendations for implementations by the concerned Governments.

Source: Press Inormation Bureau
Date: March 11, 2008