India Launches Advanced 'Bharat Forecast System' for Enhanced Weather Prediction
India unveiled a new, sophisticated weather model named the "Bharat Forecast System" on Monday, May 26th, designed to enhance nation's forecasting capabilities by providing a much higher level of geographical detail. The advanced system aims to deliver more localized and accurate predictions, which are particularly crucial for agricultural planning, flood management, and public safety, especially as the country has a complex weather phenomena like the monsoon.
Model is based on Higher Resolution
"Bharat Forecast System" will operate at a resolution of approximately 6 kilometers (3.7 miles), effectively doubling the level of detail previously achievable by Indian models. This finer resolution allows meteorologists to focus on smaller geographic areas, roughly equivalent to a cluster of Indian villages, thereby improving the precision of localized forecasts for various weather parameters, with a key emphasis on rainfall. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), stated that this will "enhance the accuracy level, massively support farmers and improve public safety."
Advanced Technology to Address Forecasting Challenges
Developed by scientists at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the new platform utilises India's customized version of the US Global Forecast System (GFS), further refined by a novel grid structure that divides the globe into triangles for more detailed analysis. This development addresses the inherent challenges of accurately predicting rainfall in tropical regions, where precipitation is often driven by smaller, more difficult-to-discern weather patterns. Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh noted that increasingly localised extreme weather events globally have driven the demand for such high-resolution models. Precise predictions for heavy rainfall can significantly improve disaster preparedness and response, potentially saving lives and resources, while detailed forecasts can help farmers optimize planting activities and boost crop yields.
To support this and broader weather and climate research, India has invested nearly ₹9 billion ($106 million) in a new supercomputer and aims to more than double its weather radar network within two years to provide enhanced data input for the model. The launch of the "Bharat Forecast System" represents a significant advancement in India's meteorological capabilities. By enabling more accurate and localized weather predictions, this new model is poised to offer substantial benefits to critical sectors reliant on weather intelligence, contributing to better resource management and enhanced resilience against weather-related challenges.
