New Delhi: The Central government is set to enhance weather forecasting and monitoring capabilities in the Northeast region and Himachal Pradesh’s with the installation of 10 X-band Doppler weather radars (DWRs).
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday about the procurement and installation of these radars.
The devices will be strategically placed in Guwahati, Dhubri, Jorhat, Tezpur, and Silchar in Assam; Aizawl in Mizoram; Dimapur in Nagaland; Imphal in Manipur; and Mandala Top and Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh.
Dr. Singh said that these radars will significantly improve the region’s capacity to predict and respond to weather-related emergencies. Additionally, the government has successfully procured an X-band DWR for Lahaul and Spiti, a district particularly vulnerable to sudden and severe weather changes.
The minister highlighted the government’s commitment to improving disaster preparedness and providing accurate weather information to citizens. The deployment of these radars aligns with broader efforts to strengthen India’s meteorological infrastructure.
By enabling more precise and timely weather forecasts, these radars are expected to contribute to better disaster management, potentially saving lives and reducing property damage caused by extreme weather events.
X-band Doppler Radars
Operating on a wavelength of 2.5-4 cm and a frequency of 8-12 GHz, X-band radars offer high sensitivity for detecting smaller particles, making them ideal for studying cloud development and light precipitation. However, their short-range capabilities limit their use for long-term weather monitoring.