India's India Meteorological Department (IMD) is taking a giant leap towards revolutionizing weather forecasting with the launch of a global tender for 10 cutting-edge wind profiler systems. These advanced systems will be strategically installed across 10 locations - Amritsar, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Patna, Varanasi, Lucknow, Mohanbari (Assam), Bhubaneswar, Calicut, and Thiruvananthapuram - covering India's diverse climatic zones.
What are Wind Profilers?
Wind profilers are sophisticated Doppler radar-based systems that measure wind speed, direction, and other atmospheric parameters at various altitudes. They operate continuously, transmitting electromagnetic waves to provide high-resolution vertical wind data, playing a critical role in real-time weather modeling and early warning systems. Each system is expected to have a minimum lifespan of 10 years.
Key Highlights of the Tender Value: Over Rs 6 crore Timeline: Delivery, installation, testing, and commissioning within 18 months from contract award Process: Pre-bid conference in New Delhi, submission via government e-procurement portal Preference: Local suppliers, MSMEs, and startups under 'Make in India' policy Compliance: Stringent technical checks and pre-dispatch inspections
Mission Mausam
This initiative is part of the Rs 2,000-crore Mission Mausam, launched in September 2024, aiming to make India "climate resilient" and "climate-smart". Key plans include : Installing wind profilers and radiometers at 15 locations Increasing radiosonde deployment for enhanced network Outcomes Providing hourly data on wind, temperature, and humidity up to 12 km altitude.
Expected Outcomes
According to IMD Director General Dr. Mrityunjay Mohapatra, Mission Mausam will enhance forecast accuracy, improving spatial resolution from 12 km to finer levels.
Benefits include : Improved Nowcasting: Rainfall warnings an hour in advance (vs current 3 hours) Disaster Preparedness: Strengthened response to extreme weather Agricultural Advisories: Better support for farming Aviation Safety: Accurate turbulence detection for safer flights This move marks a significant step towards data-driven, precision meteorology in India, promising transformative impacts on weather forecasting and climate resilience.