Karnataka - Bangalore

48-hour precise weather forecast in about a year

BANGALORE: In about a year from now, India will be in a position to undertake accurate weather forecasting for the next 48 hours.

Disclosing this at the valedictory of a three-day national conference on “Challenges and opportunities for bio-industrial watershed development for the prosperity of farming community” organised by the Soil Conservation Society of India in Bangalore on Saturday, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Madhavan Nair said at present the country could take up an accurate forecasting of the weather only for six hours.

Although it was possible to forecast for 48 hours at present, the chance of success was only 60 per cent. ISRO was working with the Indian Meteorological Department and other agencies to evolve a system which can assure 90 per cent success in forecasting for 48 hours, he said.

Such an advanced forecast would be of help particularly to farmers as details on issues related to farming such as soil moisture, precipitation and cloud movement would be known among other things.

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