**Summary:**
On May 26, 2025, the India Meteorological Department officially adopted the Bharat Forecast System (BharatFS) to enhance the accuracy of extreme weather prediction and generate forecasts at the panchayat cluster level (approximately 6 km resolution). BharatFS, developed over five years and rigorously tested since 2022, supersedes its predecessor with improved model configuration, orography representation, filtering, and conservation properties. Designed for short and medium-range weather prediction, BharatFS utilizes a TCo (Triangular Cubic Octahedral) dynamical grid to enhance resolution over the tropics, achieving a horizontal resolution of approximately 6 km in these regions. Analysis since 2022 indicates a 30% improvement in the accuracy of extreme rainfall predictions compared to the previous operational model. The implementation of BharatFS addresses computational and theoretical challenges associated with directly increasing the resolution of the earlier 12 km GFS T1534 model. This information was provided by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on July 23, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Earth Sciences: The Indian government ministry responsible for the Bharat Forecast System.
Bharat Forecast System (BharatFS): The new weather forecasting system officially adopted by the India Meteorological Department on 26 May 2025.
India Meteorological Department: The national meteorological service of India, which officially adopted the Bharat Forecast System.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the written reply regarding the Bharat Forecast System was presented.
Dr. Jitendra Singh: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, who provided information about BharatFS.
Delhi: Location of Press Information Bureau (PIB) where the information was posted
TCo Triangular Cubic Octahedral: Dynamical grid used in design of BharatFS for enhanced resolution specifically over the tropics.
Ministry of Earth Sciences
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: BHARAT FORECAST
SYSTEM
Posted On: 23 JUL 2025 3:31PM by PIB Delhi
th
India Meteorological Department officially adopted the Bharat Forecast System (BharatFS) on 26 May
2025. This forecast system runs at a resolution of 6 km, typically about the size of a cluster of
panchayats/villages. The goal of BharatFS's development was to enhance the accuracy of extreme weather
prediction and produce forecasts at the panchayat cluster level. The new model supersedes its predecessor in
terms of model configuration and forecast accuracy. It has improved representation of orography, better
filtering, and better conservation properties.
The recently launched BharatFS has been developed primarily for improving the short- and medium-range
weather prediction and not for long range forecasting.
The development of the BharatFS began about five years ago and was successfully tested in 2022 not in 2002.
Since then, it has undergone rigorous evaluation. The results have been promising, with the system showing
significant improvement in predicting the rainfall over central monsoon region and a 30% increase in
accuracy for extreme rainfall compared to the previous operational model.
Directly increasing the model resolution using conventional methods in the earlier operational 12 km GFS
T1534 model would have led to significant computational and theoretical challenges. These limitations
underscore the need for a more advanced and efficient forecasting system like BharatFS. Consequently, the
BharatFS was designed using the newly implemented dynamical grid known as TCo (Triangular Cubic
Octahedral). This TCo grid enhances resolution specifically over the tropics, enabling the model to achieve a
horizontal resolution of approximately 6 km in these regions. Due to the enhanced resolution, the BharatFS is
able to provide more accurate local weather forecasts. Rigorous analysis of the model since 2022 has shown a
30% improvement in the accuracy of extreme rainfall predictions.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science
and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of
Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
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NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2147258)