South India's first Doppler weather radar inaugurated

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Doppler weather radar, which can provide advance information about storms, cyclones and other severe weather conditions, was today inaugurated at the Vikram Sarabahi Space Centre here.

Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO) Chairman A S Kiran Kumar inaugurated the C Band Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar, first of its kind to be set up in southern states, a VSSC release said tonight.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled the first Doppler weather radar, built by the ISRO and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), in Chirapunji in Meghalaya in May last.

The work was on for two more Doppler radars to be set up in Bhuj in Gujarat and Gopalpur, it said.

Kirankumar, who is also the Space Secretary, said the data from this radar would be available to India Meteorological Department ( IMD) to supplement its weather predictions and also to researchers and user agencies, he said.

Doppler weather radar is used for forecasting storms, cyclones and other severe weather conditions so that necessary preventative steps can be initiated to alleviate the impact of natural disasters on life and property of millions of people, the release said.

The radar has been developed as a national effort to meet the country's weather forecast requirements and establish a network to seamlessly cover the regions of interest, thereby ensuring effective weather forecast.