Tamil Nadu to Get Advanced Weather Radars for Accurate Rainfall Forecast

Strategic Insights -

The Tamil Nadu city and surrounding districts will soon benefit from improved rainfall forecast accuracy, thanks to the installation of three new Doppler weather radars, announced officials. The existing S-band radar at Chennai Port, operational since 2002, will also be replaced with a new setup. This enhanced weather monitoring system will enable the tracking of rainfall and issue nowcasts for the city, particularly focusing on the neighbouring Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpet districts.

Key Takeaways:

  • Three new X-band Doppler weather radars will be installed in Tamil Nadu, replacing the existing S-band radar at Chennai Port.
  • The new radars will be located away from Chennai, forming a triangular setup to improve monitoring of rainfall in surrounding districts.
  • The X-band radar installed at NIOT campus in Pallikaranai has a 100km-150km range and helps track rainfall and issue nowcasts for the city.
  • The country plans to establish a network of 100 to 120 radars, ensuring that no rain activity goes unnoticed.
  • The urban testbed facility, part of Mission Mausam, has been inaugurated at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, equipping it with instruments to study the city's urban climate variability.
  • The testbed will help observe local weather changes, including wind profiles, turbulence intensity, clouds, and aerosols, and also come with a micro rain radar.

Statistics:

  • The existing S-band radar at Chennai Port has a 500km range, mainly used for tracking cyclones approaching the coast and monitoring clouds.
  • The X-band radar at NIOT campus in Pallikaranai has a 100km-150km range.
  • The new radars will be installed over the next few years.
  • The country aims to establish a network of 100 to 120 radars across the country.
  • The instruments at the urban testbed facility include a sound detection and ranging system, ceilometer, and a micro rain radar.

Sources:

  • "We will have three X-band radars, but their locations will be away from Chennai because we want the setup to form a triangle. This will help us focus more on neighbouring Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet districts," said M Ravichandran, secretary, ministry of earth sciences (Source: Times of India)
  • An urban testbed facility at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology has been inaugurated as part of Mission Mausam (Source: Times of India)