IMD-Hyderabad’s Doppler radar may be operational by next week: Dr K Nagaratna

Hyderabad: If you are going through the IMD website to check rain forecasts, you must be aware that Hyderabad’s Doppler radar has not been working since a month, making it tough for the weatherpersons to give their forecasts. Doppler radars are the most essential tools uses for forecasts, especially in the monsoons. These radars send […]

Hyderabad: If you are going through the IMD website to check rain forecasts, you must be aware that Hyderabad’s Doppler radar has not been working since a month, making it tough for the weatherpersons to give their forecasts.

Doppler radars are the most essential tools uses for forecasts, especially in the monsoons. These radars send electromagnetic waves to clouds, and based on the frequency received back by the sensors, the intensity of the rain bands is obtained and analysed to provide a rainfall forecast.

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Dr. K Nagaratna, Director, India Meteorological Department (IMD) – Hyderabad, said this is the first time the radar has gone down for this long. A few damaged radar parts worth Rs 25 lakhs have been ordered and will be imported by Monday, she said.

“We ordered the parts from abroad, they were shipped, and we are waiting for them to arrive. We are hopeful that the issue will be resolved within the next week,” she added.

The weather department to provide accurate forecasts in the absence of radar, is currently relying on other tools such as light observation, synoptic charts, and models, she said adding that wind patterns using radars from various other places were also being checked.

“The entire IMD team has been working extremely hard to provide accurate forecasts. It’s a tedious process looking at all these radars, but we’re making sure the forecasts are correct. If our radar is operational, it will be simple for us to provide forecasts,” she said.

Many independent weatherpersons have been expressing their disappointment on social media over the non functioning of the radar.

“It’s almost been a month since radar has gone offline; don’t know what’s the problem. Though we look after alternative resources to give forecasts, DWR is the most important tool, without it, it will be difficult for public to track rains, hoping for quick restoration (sic)” tweeted T Balaji, popularly known as Telangana Weatherman.