Important for UPSC Prelims – Science & Technology, Environment & Disaster Management
Mission Mausam (What is it?)
- Mission Mausam is a Government of India initiative aimed at making India a “Weather-ready and Climate-smart” nation.
- It focuses on strengthening weather observation, forecasting, modelling and early-warning systems using advanced technologies.
- It is particularly important for managing extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall, cyclones, thunderstorms, heatwaves and cloudbursts.
Key Features of Mission Mausam
1. Advanced Weather Observation: Strengthens India’s network of weather radars, satellites, automatic weather stations and other observation systems. Improves real-time collection of atmospheric data.
2. Better Weather Forecasting: Promotes high-resolution numerical weather prediction models for more accurate weather forecasts. Aims to improve forecasting from regional to hyperlocal levels.
3. Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning: Uses AI and Machine Learning to analyse large volumes of meteorological data. Helps improve prediction of extreme and rapidly developing weather events.
4. Expansion of Doppler Weather Radars: Expands radar coverage to improve detection of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and cyclonic systems. Better radar coverage can strengthen monitoring of localised extreme weather.
5. Nowcasting & Early Warnings: Strengthens short-term weather prediction (nowcasting) for rapidly developing events. Supports timely warnings for thunderstorms, lightning, heavy rainfall and other hazards.
6. Cloudburst & Extreme Weather Monitoring: Better observation and high-resolution forecasting can help identify localised intense rainfall and convective events. This can improve preparedness for cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides.
7. Weather & Climate Services: Aims to provide more reliable weather information for agriculture, disaster management, aviation, shipping, health and other sectors. Supports climate-resilient planning and decision-making.
Why is Mission Mausam Important?
- Disaster Management: Improves early warning for cyclones, floods, thunderstorms and other extreme events.
- Agriculture: Helps farmers make better decisions regarding sowing, irrigation and harvesting.
- Climate Resilience: Strengthens India’s capacity to adapt to increasing weather and climate risks.
- Hyperlocal Forecasting: Moves beyond broad regional forecasts towards more location-specific information.
- Public Safety: Timely warnings can reduce loss of life and damage to infrastructure.
Contemporary Relevance
- Cloudbursts: High-resolution observation and forecasting can improve understanding of highly localised extreme rainfall.
- Extreme Weather: Strengthens India’s capacity to monitor heatwaves, cyclones, thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.
- Technology: Demonstrates the growing role of AI, ML, advanced radars and numerical weather prediction in meteorology.
- Disaster Risk Reduction: Better forecasts combined with last-mile warnings can reduce vulnerability and improve preparedness.
Conclusion
Mission Mausam aims to make India weather-ready and climate-resilient through advanced observation, AI, high-resolution forecasting and timely early warnings.
| This Concept has been discussed in the following Article: What Can Be Done to Improve Cloudburst Forecasting and Disaster Management in India? |