The IMD is setting up 11 new Doppler Weather Radars across Northeast India to improve the monitoring and forecasting of extreme and highly localised weather events, including intense rainfall and droughts.

• The Northeast currently has only three Doppler Weather Radars, located at Sohra (Meghalaya), Mohanbari ( Dibrugarh) and Agartala.

Key Features of the New Radar Network

• Four new radars in Assam are being established at Guwahati (Kahilipara), Jorhat, Tezpur and Silchar.
• Other planned locations include Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh, Kohima, Imphal, Aizawl and Belonia in Tripura.
• The India Meteorological Department is also exploring suitable sites at Tura and Dhubri.
• The Jorhat, Tezpur and Belonia radars are reportedly nearing commissioning, while the Kahilipara radar is also close to completion.
• This expansion is done under the Mission Mausam which is a weather-ready and climate-smart India.

Understanding Doppler Weather Radar

A Doppler Weather Radar is a weather-observation system that uses radio waves to detect the location, movement and intensity of rainfall and weather systems.

Different radar bands provide different coverage:

• S-band radars have a range of around 500 kilometres and are useful for wider regional surveillance.
• C-band radars generally provide a range of around 250 kilometres.
• X-band radars have a shorter range of around 100 kilometres but can provide detailed observations over smaller areas.

The existing S-band radars in the Northeast are more than 15 years old, making network expansion important.

Why is it Important for the Northeast?

• The region has historically had sparse weather observations, both geographically and over time. This becomes a major challenge when extreme rainfall occurs over a small area.
• Climate change is also contributing to greater weather variability, increasing the possibility of short-duration, intense rainfall and localised droughts.
• Better radar coverage can help:
  • Detecting severe weather systems earlier.
  • Improve the accuracy and timeliness of forecasts.
  • Strengthen early warning systems for floods and extreme rainfall.
  • Provide high-frequency atmospheric observations for disaster preparedness.
  • Support more precise weather information for agriculture and other climate-sensitive sectors.

The expansion is particularly significant for Assam, where recent extreme rainfall and flooding have highlighted gaps between weather forecasting and last-mile warning delivery.

National Radar Network

• The IMD currently receives data from around 50 Doppler Weather Radars operated by the department and other institutions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences and Indian Space Research Organisation.
• Nationally, the radar network is also being expanded through projects involving 29 C-band, 45 X-band and 12 S-band radars.

Exam Hook: Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. Doppler Weather Radars can provide information about the movement and intensity of weather systems.
2. S-band radars generally have a longer range than X-band radars.
3. The Northeast currently has a dense network of Doppler Weather Radars compared with other parts of India.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Answer: 1 and 2 only.

One-Line Wrap

For the climate-sensitive Northeast, expanding Doppler radar coverage can convert better weather observation into faster warnings and more effective disaster preparedness.