IMD scouting for land to set up wind profiler radars in Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram under ‘Mission Mausam’

The India Meteorological Department is (IMD) is scouting for suitable land in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram in Keralam to set up wind profiler radar systems as part of the Union government’s ‘Mission Mausam’ initiative under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

According to official sources, the mission, launched in 2024, seeks to “exponentially enhance” the country’s weather and climate observations, and their understanding, modelling and forecasting, leading to better, more useful, accurate and timely services and make India “weather-ready” and “climate-smart”.

Wind profilers are equipment used to observe weather using radars, sound waves or lasers to detect the speed and direction of wind at different elevations above the ground. The readings are made up to the extent of the troposphere – between 8 km and 17 km above mean sea level – at each kilometre. The data thus collected is used to understand the onset, strengthening, weakening and withdrawal of the monsoon along with its variations, and wind turbulence, atmospheric disturbances, and thunderstorms. The radar is expected to provide data every 15 minutes.

Neetha K. Gopal, Director, IMD, Keralam, says around one and half acres will be required for installing equipment in Kozhikode and an acre is required in Thiruvananthapuram.

The sources say Thiruvananthapuram is the main entry point for the southwest monsoon in Keralam. Kozhikode was identified for project as it is one of the areas that receives heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. It is learnt that the IMD has officially communicated to the State government to allot land for the purpose. Discussions are reportedly going on with various government departments and universities as well.

One functioning at Cusat

A wind profiler radar is already functioning at the Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat). The officials claim that it is the first stratosphere-troposphere wind profile radar operating on 205 MHz in the world.