India's first thunderstorm research testbed to be set up in Balasore, Odisha

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is planning to set up India's first thunderstorm research testbed at Balasore, Odisha. 

The IMD will be working jointly with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)to implement the project. 

The project is expected to be fully operational in the next five years. 

Key Highlights 

•The new lightning research facility will be established at IMD’s observation centre in Balasore.

•The project is currently in the preliminary stage and once finalised, the research unit will be equipped with augmented observational systems such as wind profiler, microwave radiometer, radar and automatic weather stations to study Northwestern thunderstorms in Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. 

•The IMD, DRDO and ISRO already have their research units in Balasore. They will now be setting up observatories to cater to nearby areas such as north Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand and studies on thunderstorms will be conducted on the testbed.

•Top academic institutes such as IIT Kharagpur, IIT Bhubaneswar, NIT Rourkela, Fakir Mohan University, University of Calcutta, Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi and Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University at Baripada will also be involved to conduct research on the data that will be shared to them by the testbed.

•According to IMD, the current observation methods to study the characteristics of a thunderstorm, its growth and movement and the conditions leading to the decaying of the storm is not adequate and need to be enhanced.

IMD Director-General Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra revealed that a first-of-its-kind monsoon testbed is also being planned near Bhopal. Both research units are currently in the planning stage and detailed project reports are being made.

Background

According to IMD Director-General Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, between 2011 and February 2020, almost 3,218 people lost their lives in Odisha due to lightning strikes.