In Maharashtra, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune, recently commissioned a new X-band Doppler Weather Radar at Mahabaleshwar under Mission Mausam. The radar was inaugurated by M. Ravichandran in the presence of senior scientists and officials from IITM and ISRO on 24th of this month.
Installed at an altitude of around 1,400 metres in the Western Ghats, the radar acts as a weather eye in the sky, continuously monitoring atmospheric conditions. It can track rainfall, clouds, storms, fog and strong winds in real time, and is expected to improve short-term weather forecasts of up to three hours for regions including Satara, Pune, Konkan and Mumbai.
Officials said the system will enhance understanding of heavy rainfall, monsoon patterns and storm activity in hilly terrain, while also supporting disaster preparedness. The radar uses advanced technology, operates continuously with low maintenance, and provides detailed data on cloud structure and storm intensity.
On the occasion, IITM also signed an MoU with ISRO’s Space Applications Centre (SAC) to jointly develop improved satellite-based weather products aimed at strengthening forecasts related to climate change, lightning, deep convection and air quality.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr M Ravichandran said the radar would significantly strengthen early warning systems for extreme weather, especially in vulnerable and tourist-heavy regions.
IITM Director Dr A Suryachandra Rao said it would improve forecasting and climate modelling, while SAC Director Somya S Sarkar said the partnership would further enhance India’s weather observation capabilities.
The system is expected to support flood and landslide warnings, aviation safety, agriculture advisory, disaster management and water resource planning.
