Lok Sabha Question No. 3481 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-22
Subject: Monsoon Mission
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Venkatesh Netha Borlakunta, Kavitha Malothu, Gaddam Ranjith Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3481 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 22 ND  MARCH, 2023

## MONSOON MISSION

3481.    SHRI VENKATESH NETHA BORLAKUNTA: SHRIMATI KAVITHA MALOTHU: DR. G. RANJITH REDDY:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) the aims and objectives of the Monsoon Mission;
- (b) the  extent  to  which  the  said  Mission  is  likely  to  help  in  improving  predictions  of monsoon weather and climate; and
- (c) the details of the extent to which the Doppler Weather Radars are helping in achieving the Mission goals?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a) The aims and objectives of the Monsoon Mission are given below :
-  To build a working partnership between the academic and R&D organizations both national  and  international,  and  MoES  to  improve  the  operational  monsoon  forecast skill  over  the  country  and  develop  relevant  climate  applications  for  agriculture, hydrology, and power sectors.
-  To  develop  and  improve  a  state-of-the-art  dynamical  modelling  framework  for improving  prediction  skill  of  (a)  Seasonal  and  Extended  range  predictions  and  (b) Short and Medium range (up to two weeks) prediction.
- (b) The  Monsoon  Mission  is  planned  with  an  overall  objective  to  improve  monsoon prediction  over  India  on  all  time  scales.   This  has  focused  on  seasonal  (for  June  to September months) and extended range prediction of Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR), with delineation of active/break spells, using high resolution ocean-atmosphere coupled dynamical models with reasonable skill, as well as short range forecasts.
-  Monsoon Mission Model development activities resulted in the development of a high  resolution  (horizonal  resolution  of  38  Km),  which  is  one  of  the  highest resolution  global  forecast  systems  in  the  world  with  better  prediction  skill  (on  a scale  of  0-1,  the  skill  of  the  present  operational  model  is  0.63)  of  seasonal monsoon.
-  A high resolution coupled system was developed for extended range prediction with a lead predictability of more than 15-days.
-  The  high-resolution  atmospheric  model  developed  for  short  and  medium  range prediction, improved the skill by 2 days.
-  The  forecast  accuracy  has  increased  by  about  40  percent  for  different severe weather events like cyclone,  heavy rain, heat wave, cold wave and thunderstorms.

The improved accuracy & skill in the seasonal prediction (for prediction of Indian SW monsoon seasonal rainfall and other parameters) and for the extended range prediction (for  prediction  up  to  next  4  weeks  in  advance)  have  been  very  useful  for the farmers, policy makers, the public and other end-users. Proper prediction and warning of cyclone has helped to save the loss of lives and property in the country.

- (c) Doppler  weather  radars  are  extensively  used  to  derive  several  products  of operational  meteorological  interest.  Distribution  of  rainfall  rates,  accumulated rain  over  a  period  of  time,  vertical  profile  of  wind,  signatures  of  cyclones maximum wind in cyclones, wind shear and turbulence,  probability  of  severe weather, details of thunderstorms etc. are among the important products.

DWR  data  is  mainly  used  for  Nowcast  and  also  being  assimilated  in  the  weather prediction  models  to  get  improved  forecasts  especially  in  the  short-range.  Dense network of DWRs are helpful for preparation of high-resolution data, required for high resolution model inputs, that helps in betterment of the initial conditions and forecasts.

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