Latest news with #Arka
Mint
28-05-2025
- Climate
- Mint
India gets new weather model — what's different, how it will improve monsoon forecast, and benefit farmers, explained.
India this week launched a new weather model with significantly boosted forecasting capabilities that can predict weather for smaller geographic areas more acurately and in a localised manner. The indigenous weather forecasting system, developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), the Bharat Forecasting System (BFS) is debuting this monsoon season, reports said. The new model is called Bharat Forecast System. According to Union Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh, the new system places India among the global leaders in weather prediction, PTI reported. The ministry has spent close to ₹90 crore on a new supercomputer to power the platform. The plan is to double the size of India's weather radar network in two years to feed the model with additional data, it said. The new supercomputer Arka, was installed at the IITM campus last year with a capacity of 11.77 petaflops and storage capacity of 33 petabytes. What does this mean? What are the benefits? The new system can forecast at a resolution of around 6 km, double the previous capability and highest in the world— which means it can zoom in on smaller regions and give localised reports for better rainfall prediction and flood preparation. More localised predictions will also help farmers make informed decisions ahead of weather events. The earlier resolution is 12 km. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) told reporters the new system "will focus on all weather parameters, with rain being the key". A more localised and accurate weather model will also aid in public safety announcements and arrangements. Why did India need homegrown weather model? Usually, the EU's Integrated Forecast System and the US' Global Forecast System are considered "gold standard", Bloomberg noted. Many countries, including India use their data to extrapolate for own regions. Notably, these global forecast models have resolution between 9 km and 14 km, according to a PTI report. Further, predicting rainfall in the tropics is much harder compared to areas further away from the equator. This is because the smaller weather patterns that drive precipitation in the tropics are harder to discern. The new platform uses a grid structure to divide the globe into triangles and make predictions for areas as big as a cluster of villages. M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences noted, 'The tropical region is a chaotic region for weather. The change in weather patterns is unpredictable and higher resolution models are required to capture the spatial changes. Earlier, we used to issue one forecast for four villages. The BFS will enable us to issue separate forecasts for each of the four villages.' Minister Jitendra Singh added knowing the precise location and time of heavy rainfall can improve processes before and after a disaster — saving lives and money. Farmers can also better time their planting activities with more detailed forecasts, raising crop yields. Singh added that the BFS would boost monsoon tracking, aviation, cyclone monitoring and disaster management, agriculture, waterways, defence, and flood forecasting, and also support key ministries. (With inputs from Bloomberg and PTI)
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Business Standard
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Business Standard
Explained: What is the new Bharat Forecast System and how does it work?
The Ministry of Science on Monday launched the Bharat Forecast System (BFS), saying it is the world's most precise indigenously developed weather forecasting model. The system has become operational after three years of testing since its launch in 2022. Let's understand in detail what the Bharat Forecast System is and how it is more accurate, fast, and effective than the previously used models. What is Bharat Forecast System? Bharat Forecast System, developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune, is a weather forecasting and monitoring system which uses high-end computer systems and satellite imagery. The use of the supercomputer 'Arka' makes it possible to deliver the results at the highest possible speed, which is faster than any other forecasting system in the world. The supercomputer has a capacity of 11.77 petaflops and a storage capacity of 33 petabytes. According to Parthasarathy Mukhopadhayay, one of the researchers involved in the project, the data from a network of 40 Doppler Weather Radars (a system of high-resolution weather monitoring stations) from across the country will be used to run the BFS model. With this, BFS is now able to deliver more localised forecasts and nowcasts (forecasts of present weather conditions immediately). The number of Doppler radars will gradually rise to 100, enabling the weather office to issue nowcasts—short-term weather forecasts for the next two hours—nationwide. What makes BFS better than any other forecast system? The modified BFS system came up with a lot of new upgrades in comparison to the previously used forecast systems. However, BFS's speed, accuracy, and much more localised predictions make it the best forecasting system in the world. Speed: Suryachandra Rao, Director of IITM-Pune, stated that earlier weather forecasting models required around 12 to 14 hours to produce predictions for a specific area. However, with advancements in high-performance computing systems under the central government's 'Mission Mausam', forecasts can now be made within four to six hours. Accuracy: The use of high-end computers not only improved its speed but also accuracy. "This significant milestone represents a major leap in India's self-reliance in meteorological sciences, enabling more accurate and granular weather forecasts up to panchayat level for disaster risk reduction, agriculture, water resource management, and public safety," a senior official from the Earth Sciences Ministry said, as quoted by The Economic Times. Furthermore, the system has demonstrated a 30 per cent improvement in accuracy for extreme rainfall events, which are frequent during the monsoon season, compared to existing models. It has also shown significant enhancement in predicting cyclone paths. Localised predictions: Previously operated weather forecasting systems used to forecast weather patterns over a 12 km grid. However, in a much more localised way, now BFS is able to predict weather conditions in a 6 km grid. This means the current model can forecast weather systems down to the village and panchayat level, with an improvement of nearly 64 per cent in prediction accuracy. Weather forecast for all Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the IMD, stated the launch is part of the Centre's initiative to make weather forecasts more accessible and beneficial for everyone. With the successful integration of this new system, India has become the only country to operate a global forecast system with such high resolution in real time. The system was officially handed over to the IMD by Minister of Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, on Monday.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
What is the Bharat Forecast System: world's highest resolution forecasting model
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) adopted the Bharat Forecast System (BFS), an indigenously developed weather prediction model boasting a 6-kilometre resolution grid. Union Minister of Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the world's first indigenously developed high-resolution weather forecast systems at a launch ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan. Also Read: Rains LIVE What is BFS? Bharat Forecast System (BFS) is a cutting-edge weather model that delivers high-accuracy forecasts at an ultra-fine spatial resolution of 6 kilometres. This places India ahead of global peers such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union, whose models typically operate at 9 to 14 km resolution. Developed indigenously by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, the BFS replaces the older 12-km resolution model and is now operational at the India Meteorological Department (IMD). It marks a milestone under India's Atmanirbhar Bharat mission in climate science and disaster management. How does the BFS work? The improved forecasting system is made possible with high-performance computing systems 'Arka' and 'Arunika' located at the IITM, Pune and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, Delhi. This allows forecasters to issue timely alerts and fine-tuned predictions across a broad spectrum of weather phenomena, from rainfall to cyclones and heatwaves. How accurate is the Bharat Forecast System? According to the IMD, the BFS shows 64% better accuracy than previous models and delivers up to 30% improvement in forecasting extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall. This enhancement is crucial for India, a country frequently affected by monsoon variability and climate-induced disasters. Union Minister of Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that the BFS is expected to contribute significantly to India's economic resilience, especially in sectors like agriculture, water management, and infrastructure. Launched the first-of-its-kind, state-of-the-art indigenous "Bharat Forecast System" #BharatFS by 'India Meteorological Department' under the Ministry of Earth Sciences #MoES. A major leap in IMD's capabilities, this breakthrough places India among global leaders in weather… — Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) May 26, 2025 With climate volatility on the rise, the Bharat Forecast System positions India as a global leader in precision weather forecasting, ensuring that science serves communities from the national level down to the last village.
Hans India
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Hans India
India launches most precise weather model
New Delhi: In a major boost to India's weather prediction capabilities, the government on Monday unveiled the Bharat Forecasting System (B Bharat Forecast System was made possible through the installation of Arka, a new supercomputer at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology campus last year. Arka boasts a computational capacity of 11.77 petaflops and a storage capacity of 33 petabytes FS) — the world's highest-resolution weather model, operating on a 6-kilometre grid. Developed by researchers, including Parthasarathy Mukhopadhyay, the model aims to deliver more granular and accurate forecasts, especially for small-scale weather patterns. "This significant milestone represents a major leap in India's self-reliance in meteorological sciences, enabling more accurate and granular weather forecasts up to panchayat level for disaster risk reduction, agriculture, water resource management and public safety," a senior official from the Earth Sciences Ministry said. The BFS was made possible through the installation of Arka, a new supercomputer at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) campus last year. Arka boasts a computational capacity of 11.77 petaflops and a storage capacity of 33 petabytes. 'The previous supercomputer 'Pratyush' used to take up to 10 hours to run the forecasting model. Arka performs the same data-crunching within four hours,' Mukhopadhyay said. Union Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh dedicated the Bharat Forecasting System (BFS) to the nation at a function in New Delhi. The BFS will leverage a network of 40 Doppler Weather Radars from across India to generate highly localised forecasts. It provides insight into weather events likely to take place in a grid of 6 km by 6 km against the earlier models that gave predictions for a 12 km grid. The number of Doppler radars is expected to rise to 100, which would allow the weather office to issue nowcasts — short-term forecasts for the next two hours — for the entire country. The system offers high-resolution forecasts for the tropical region between 30 degrees South and 30 degrees North latitudes, which includes the Indian mainland spanning from 8.4 degrees to 37.6 degrees North. In comparison, the global forecast models run by the European, British, and US weather offices operate at resolutions ranging from 9 km to 14 km.
Hans India
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Hans India
Bharat Forecast System: India launches world's most precise weather model
New Delhi: In a major boost to India's weather prediction capabilities, the government on Monday unveiled the Bharat Forecasting System (B Bharat Forecast System was made possible through the installation of Arka, a new supercomputer at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology campus last year. Arka boasts a computational capacity of 11.77 petaflops and a storage capacity of 33 petabytes FS) — the world's highest-resolution weather model, operating on a 6-kilometre grid. Developed by researchers, including Parthasarathy Mukhopadhyay, the model aims to deliver more granular and accurate forecasts, especially for small-scale weather patterns. "This significant milestone represents a major leap in India's self-reliance in meteorological sciences, enabling more accurate and granular weather forecasts up to panchayat level for disaster risk reduction, agriculture, water resource management and public safety," a senior official from the Earth Sciences Ministry said. The BFS was made possible through the installation of Arka, a new supercomputer at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) campus last year. Arka boasts a computational capacity of 11.77 petaflops and a storage capacity of 33 petabytes. "The previous supercomputer 'Pratyush' used to take up to 10 hours to run the forecasting model. Arka performs the same data-crunching within four hours," Mukhopadhyay said. Union Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh dedicated the Bharat Forecasting System (BFS) to the nation at a function in New Delhi. The BFS will leverage a network of 40 Doppler Weather Radars from across India to generate highly localised forecasts. It provides insight into weather events likely to take place in a grid of 6 km by 6 km against the earlier models that gave predictions for a 12 km grid. The number of Doppler radars is expected to rise to 100, which would allow the weather office to issue nowcasts — short-term forecasts for the next two hours — for the entire country. The system offers high-resolution forecasts for the tropical region between 30 degrees South and 30 degrees North latitudes, which includes the Indian mainland spanning from 8.4 degrees to 37.6 degrees North. In comparison, the global forecast models run by the European, British, and US weather offices operate at resolutions ranging from 9 km to 14 km. The BFS arrives at a critical time when weather anomalies are increasingly influencing India's economy, particularly in the form of sticky food inflation. The government, in its latest Economic Survey, noted that frequent extreme weather events over the past two years have played a significant role in driving up food prices. Data from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) cited in the report highlighted that the total crop area damaged in 2024 due to extreme weather was higher than in previous years. India Meteorological Department (IMD) data revealed a notable increase in the frequency of such events. Between 2022 and 2024, heatwaves were recorded on 18 per cent of days, a sharp rise from 5 per cent during 2020 and 2021. The Economic Survey recommended developing climate-resilient crops, improving data systems, and reducing both crop damage and post-harvest losses to achieve long-term price stability.
