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. 23/10/2024 1:06 PM
"Mission Mausam" India’s Ambitious Initiative for Weather and Climate Management
In September 2024, the Government of India launched Mission Mausam, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at enhancing weather forecasting capabilities and managing specific weather events. With a budget outlay of ₹2,000 crore over two years, the mission aspires to make India "Weather-Ready" and "Climate-Smart" by 2026. The project seeks to improve the country's ability to predict and manage various weather conditions, such as rainfall, hail, fog, and eventually, lightning strikes.
A key aspect of Mission Mausam is the study of cloud physics, which is essential for effective weather modification. Cloud physics involves understanding how clouds behave under different environmental conditions, which helps in controlling weather phenomena. India is looking to strengthen its research in this area to better understand and manipulate weather patterns.
To support this research, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune is constructing a state-of-the-art cloud chamber. This facility will simulate cloud formation under controlled conditions, allowing scientists to study cloud behavior in detail and explore new weather management techniques.
A cloud chamber is a closed structure where water vapor and aerosols are introduced under controlled humidity and temperature conditions. This process allows clouds to form within the chamber, enabling researchers to observe and study cloud droplets and ice particles. The Pune facility will be unique, incorporating convection properties that make it particularly suitable for studying Indian monsoon clouds. Globally, only a few such convective cloud chambers exist, and this will be one of them.
The primary goal of this facility is to enhance the understanding of cloud behavior during both normal and extreme weather conditions. Researchers will study the formation of rain droplets and ice particles, as well as how moisture from cyclones interacts with the atmosphere. This knowledge is critical for developing weather modification strategies and improving rainfall predictions.
Over the next 18-24 months, scientists will focus on building advanced instruments and probes to monitor conditions inside the chamber. Civil construction of the facility will begin soon, marking a major step in India’s weather research infrastructure.
India has experimented with cloud seeding in the past through the Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX). Conducted over four phases, this decade-long program aimed to increase rainfall in areas with water scarcity. The final phase, conducted in Maharashtra’s Solapur district, showed that cloud seeding could enhance rainfall by up to 46% in some regions. On average, rainfall increased by about 18% in a 100-square-kilometer area downwind of the seeding location.
Despite these successes, cloud seeding alone cannot solve all weather-related challenges. It has limitations and needs to be part of a broader strategy, which Mission Mausam aims to address.
Mission Mausam is not just focused on cloud seeding; it aims to revolutionize India's overall weather and climate forecasting systems. The initiative is spearheaded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and was formally approved by the Union Cabinet on September 11, 2024. The mission’s objectives include:
Developing cutting-edge weather surveillance technologies
Expanding atmospheric observation networks with better spatial and temporal coverage
Implementing next-generation radars, satellites with advanced instruments, and high-performance computers
Improving understanding of weather and climate processes through advanced models and AI/ML-driven data analysis
Developing technologies for weather management
Enhancing last-mile data dissemination systems
By March 2026, the mission aims to install a wider network of 50 Doppler Weather Radars, 60 Radio Sonde/Radio Wind Stations, 100 disdrometers, 10 Wind Profilers, and 25 radiometers across the country. Additionally, specialized testbeds for urban and process studies will be set up, along with ocean research stations and marine automatic weather stations for upper-air observations.
Mission Mausam also aims to improve the accuracy and usefulness of weather forecasts. According to Dr. M Ravichandran, Secretary of MoES, the mission will significantly enhance forecasts on both spatial and temporal scales, offering improved air quality data and long-term weather management strategies. By leveraging advanced numerical models and AI-driven analytics, the mission aims to provide more precise and timely forecasts.
Dissemination of weather data and capacity building for stakeholders are also key focus areas. Improved forecasting will not only benefit the general public but also sectors like agriculture, disaster management, and infrastructure planning.
The mission will be primarily implemented by three institutes under MoES: the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), and IITM Pune. These institutions will collaborate with national and international partners, academia, and industries to strengthen India’s leadership in weather and climate sciences.
Mission Mausam represents a significant leap forward for India in its quest to become a weather-resilient and climate-smart nation. Through cutting-edge research in cloud physics, advanced weather modification techniques, and state-of-the-art technology, the initiative promises to enhance India’s ability to predict and manage extreme weather events. By 2026, the mission aims to transform the country’s weather and climate forecasting capabilities, benefiting millions of citizens and various industries.
