MISSION MAUSAM

The Union Cabinet, on 11 September 2024, approved the ₹2,000 crore Mission Mausam for a two-year period, aimed at upgrading equipment for key agencies such as the India Meteorological Department, National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting, and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, which collectively drive India’s weather and climate forecasting systems across multiple time scales.

This article covers India’s Mission Mausam, a program designed to improve weather forecasting by modernizing instruments. It also touches on innovative studies in cloud simulation and weather modification aimed at reducing lightning incidents and optimizing rainfall control.

What is Mission Mausam?

Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will be primarily responsible for the implementation of Mission Mausam.

Objective: The goal of Mission Mausam is to strengthen India’s capacity to predict and respond to extreme weather events and the effects of climate change.

The mission aims to improve observations and deepen understanding to provide precise and timely weather and climate information across various timeframes and geographical regions.

Focus Areas: The mission prioritizes accuracy, modeling, radars, satellites, and precise agrometeorological forecasts.

It aims to empower stakeholders, including citizens, with tools to effectively manage extreme weather events and the effects of climate change, thereby improving community resilience.

Key Components of the Mission:

• Deployment of next-generation radars and satellite systems equipped with advanced sensors
• Development of enhanced Earth system models
• Implementation of a GIS-based automated decision support system for real-time data sharing.

Instruments: The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will install 60 weather radars, 15 wind profilers, and 15 radiosondes.

• Weather Radars: These function like dish antennas that transmit radio waves to detect rainfall, snowstorms, and other weather conditions.
• Wind Profilers: These specialized radars measure wind speed at various altitudes, aiding in more accurate weather predictions. They are also used by pilots for flight planning.
• Radiosondes: Small devices attached to balloons, radiosondes are used to measure temperature, pressure, and humidity in the atmosphere.

Cloud Simulation Chamber: A facility will be established at IITM where scientists will conduct research on artificial clouds.

• Cloud Seeding: Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique aimed at inducing artificial rainfall. It can only be effective when there are sufficient pre-existing clouds in the atmosphere.

Lightning Control: There are also initiatives aimed at reducing lightning strikes.

In India, lightning is the leading cause of natural disaster-related deaths, surpassing floods and landslides. To address this, scientists are exploring ways to modify the electrical properties of clouds in hopes of reducing the frequency of lightning strikes.

Implementation and Support: The mission will be carried out by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, and the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting — three major organizations under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

Additional support will come from other MoES institutions, including the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, and the National Institute of Ocean Technology.

Benefits: The mission will enhance the accuracy of weather forecasts, which will aid in timely evacuations during disasters. It will also boost solar and wind energy production by improving weather detection, positively impacting daily life.

Challenges and Ethical Concerns: While advancements are significant, weather is a natural phenomenon that cannot always be predicted with 100% accuracy.

Long-Term Impact: The mission’s goal includes cloud-seeding, a weather modification technique that alters cloud characteristics. However, this could have unintended consequences, such as uneven rainfall distribution, potentially intensifying conflicts between states over water-sharing.

Ethical Concerns: This also raises ethical issues, as human interference in natural processes could have unforeseen environmental impacts.

How Is This Different from the National Monsoon Mission?

The National Monsoon Mission, initiated in 2012, focused on improving monsoon forecasting through advanced computing models. In contrast, Mission Mausam seeks to broaden its scope beyond monsoon predictions.

It aims to improve daily and seasonal forecasts and create specialized models for heatwaves and cold spells.

Why Is This Research Important?

This research focuses on reducing lightning strikes, which are the primary cause of natural disaster-related deaths in India, exceeding those from floods and landslides.

Utilizing advanced instruments like weather radars and wind profilers will enhance the monitoring of wind, humidity, and temperature.

Cloud seeding experiments could aid in regulating rainfall, which is vital for agricultural practices.

Moreover, climate change complicates weather patterns, making foundational research crucial for predicting and addressing its impacts.

While weather modification experiments carry uncertainties, they provide hope for managing hazardous weather events like lightning, as demonstrated by similar initiatives in other countries.

Conclusion:

Mission Mausam marks a major investment in enhancing India’s weather forecasting abilities while also highlighting the challenges and uncertainties of weather modification. Its ambitious objectives, including cloud simulation and lightning control, offer the possibility of transformative breakthroughs. However, the success of these initiatives will rely on sustained research and ongoing technological advancements.

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