Dealing with extreme, hyperlocal rainfall

Planetary warming has injected uncertainty into factors influencing accuracy of weather forecasting, which is the main reason why the IMD is pushing nowcasting

The monsoon havoc of the past few years clearly bears the stamp of the unfolding climate crisis. Visuals of flooded cities and devastation in the mountains are rooted as much in intense bursts of rainfall that have increasingly become common as they are in inadequacies of planning and infrastructure in urban centres, including the national capital region (NCR), and bulldozing of ecological concerns in infrastructure development in the mountains.

As weather watch does its bit, the Centre, states, and local bodies must make climate resilience a proactive function. (PTI)

So, as the climate crisis deepens, there is a need for immediate measures on these fronts. Planetary warming has injected much uncertainty into factors influencing accuracy of weather forecasting, which is one of the reasons behind the India Meteorological Department (IMD) pushing nowcasting — where forecasts with local detail arrive hours before a weather event. The Bharat Forecast System, with better forecasting for extreme rainfall over small areas, was launched earlier this year, signalling some progress. But there remains significant room for capacity augmentation. IMD’s automatic weather station, automatic rain gauge, and Doppler weather radar numbers still lag the estimated need. Leveraging capacity owned by state governments and private players, even if it is just for the monsoon season, can be perhaps be explored.

As weather watch does its bit, the Centre, states, and local bodies must make climate resilience a proactive function, given the lead time to prepare for forecasted extreme events is short. Addressing vulnerabilities in city infrastructure and ecologically mindful development in the hills are both imperatives now.