CURRENT AFFAIRS 2010

IMD unveils high-tech weather forecasting system A state-of-the-art Integrated Forecasting and Communication System was unveiled at the India Meteorology Department (IMD) today that is expected to provide more accurate weather data. Dynamic weather prediction models using super computers and very highly sophisticated software will start giving us more and more accurate data. Agriculture, like so many sectors of Indian economy, is highly dependent on weather and climate and it was good that the IMD was moving away from he conventional forms of weather forecast to an advanced one. "Increasing socio-economic benefits of meteorology in all fields, saving lives and protecting goods in a changing climate is the permanent mission of the India Meteorological Department." The governments took it as one of its priorities and a Rs 1,000 crore programme was sanctioned by Planning Commission in 2007 and crucial components including setting up of automatic weather stations, Doppler Radars, connecting them with most high speed digital inter-connecting systems and network as well as buying super computers for numerical weather prediction were completed.