**Executive Summary**
This document, a response to a parliamentary question, details the Indian Meteorological Department's (IMD) efforts to improve weather and climate services in India. It highlights the adoption of new technologies, expansion of infrastructure, and implementation of the Mission Mausam initiative. The document also notes the IMD's increased focus on disseminating timely and effective warnings. The entry date for this information is 11 DEC 2023.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Technological Advancements and Infrastructure Expansion:**
* IMD has adopted new techniques and technologies for weather event detection, monitoring, and early warning.
* Infrastructure has been expanded for observations, data exchange, monitoring, analysis, forecasting, and warning services.
* Efforts are continuously being made to strengthen observational capabilities and R&D infrastructure.
* **Weather Forecasting and Early Warning Systems:**
* IMD issues timely alerts and forecasts to the public and stakeholders.
* A Decision Support System (DSS) based real-time multi-hazard impact-based early warning system (EWS) is in place.
* Met Centres (MCs) in each state and special centers like Cyclone Warning Centres provide services.
* The skill of forecasting severe weather events has improved by 30-40% over the last 10 years.
* **Mission Mausam Implementation:**
* The Government has undertaken the Mission Mausam initiative.
* Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs) are being installed across India, with 87% area coverage already achieved.
* Bharat Forecast System (BharatFS) has been developed and is operational.
* **Warning Dissemination:**
* Forecasts and warnings are disseminated through websites, email, mobile apps (MAUSAM, MEGHDOOT, DAMINI, UMANG), SMS, and Social Media Platforms.
* The Common Alert Protocol (CAP) developed by the NDMA is being implemented.
**Impact Analysis**
**Public/Citizens**
* *Impact:* Timely and more accurate weather forecasts and warnings, enabling better preparedness for disruptive weather events.
* *Action Required:* Stay informed through IMD dissemination channels (website, apps, social media).
**Government and NDMA**
* *Impact:* Enhanced capabilities for disaster management and response planning due to improved weather forecasting and warning systems.
* *Action Required:* Continue supporting and collaborating with IMD to strengthen weather and climate services.
**Stakeholders in cyclone/Heavy Rainfall prone states**
* *Impact:* Met Centres (MCs) in each state and special centers like Cyclone Warning Centres provide services.
* *Action Required:* Actively engage with these centres to receive services for extreme weather conditions.
Key Entities Referenced
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD): The primary agency responsible for weather forecasting and dissemination of warnings.
Mission Mausam: A government initiative for upgrading radar infrastructure and weather forecasting capabilities.
Ministry of Earth Sciences: The nodal ministry overseeing weather forecasting and climate services.
Bharat Forecast System (BharatFS): An advanced weather forecasting model developed under the Mission Mausam.
Common Alert Protocol (CAP): A protocol developed by the NDMA to disseminate warnings.
Ministry of Earth Sciences
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: WEATHER AND
CLIMATE SERVICES
प्रव तथ: 11 DEC 2025 4:55PM by PIB Delhi
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has adopted new techniques and technologies over time to
detect, monitor, and provide timely early warnings for disruptive weather events. The IMD has expanded
its infrastructure for observations, data exchange, monitoring & analysis, forecasting, and warning
services in the country. The Ministry is continuously working to strengthen observational capabilities and
R&D infrastructure to achieve greater accuracy in weather forecasting.
IMD consistently issues timely alerts and forecasts to the public and concerned stakeholders. Various
steps have been taken to ensure effective dissemination of warnings to vulnerable populations.
The major new initiative undertaken by the Government is the implementation of the Mission Mausam.
A couple of Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs) have already been installed under the mission. Currently,
47 radars are in operation across India, with 87% of the country's total area under radar coverage. In the
coming years, DWRs will be installed as per the requirement to cover the remaining gap areas in the
country, provide redundancy, and replacement of old radars in the DWR network under Mission Mausam
of MoES. Under the Mission Mausam, the Bharat Forecast System (BharatFS), an advanced weather
forecasting model, has been developed and is operational at a high spatial resolution of 6 km. It also has
the capability to provide predictions of rainfall events up to 10 days, covering the short and medium-
range forecasts. Due to its higher resolution and improved dynamics, it generates weather forecasts at the
panchayat or cluster of panchayats level. Improving the accuracy of weather forecasts requires advanced
observational networks, skilled human resources for research and development of numerical models, and
robust infrastructure such as high-performance computing systems to run these models at the required
resolution.
IMD currently is equipped with a Decision Support System (DSS) based real-time multi-hazard impact
based early warning system (EWS), which integrates all types of real-time and historical data, numerical
weather prediction products, etc., to effectively monitor, detect and provide timely forecasts and impact-
based warnings with suggested actions up to districts and city/station levels against all types of extreme
weather events such as heavy rainfall events, droughts etc. IMD has Met Centres (MCs) in each State and
also special centers like Cyclone Warning Centres available for each impacted State, which provide
services during cyclones and heavy rainfall seasons round the clock, respectively. As a result of these
new initiatives, the overall skill of forecasting these severe weather events has been improved by 30-40%
over the last 10 years.
IMD disseminates the forecasts and warnings through the website, email, mobile apps, SMS, and Social
Media Platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, X, and Instagram. The Common Alert Protocol (CAP),
developed by the NDMA, is also being implemented to disseminate warnings by the IMD.
The India Meteorological Department has developed various mobile apps for the dissemination of
weather-related warnings, such asMAUSAM App for weather forecasting and warnings
MEGHDOOT App for agro met services
DAMINI App (developed by IITM) for lightning warning
UMANG App (developed by Meity) for Weather forecasting and warnings
IMD has been strengthening and modernizing its monitoring and early warning systems in order to
minimize the impact of increased extreme weather events linked to climate change. These new efforts,
progress, and achievements in this regard are already listed in reply (a) to (c).
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NKR/AK
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