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India is planning to launch its first Thunderstorm Research Testbed by 2026. The project will focus on areas in West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha. The need for this project arose due to the increasing deaths from severe weather, especially thunderstorms and lightning. In 2022, over 2,887 people died from these causes, with Bihar being the hardest hit.
Thunderstorms are becoming more common and severe in the eastern region, particularly in April and May. The project aims to help the India Meteorological Department (IMD) better understand and predict these storms.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences, IMD, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will collaborate to establish the facility. In addition, the IMD has planned to set up a unique monsoon testbed near Bhopal. At present, they are planning both projects and are in the process of making detailed project reports.
As part of the project, two drones will be purchased to monitor weather conditions before and after thunderstorms. The project will complement existing weather observation systems in East India and will benefit from additional planned infrastructure.
Currently, the IMD provides a three-hour warning for thunderstorms in all major towns and cities, as well as a five-day forecast. They use a lightning network to verify these forecasts. The IMD is also expanding its network of automatic weather stations and has recently added four Doppler Weather Radars, bringing the total to 39.
A study has found that thunderstorms in India have an annual frequency of 100–120 days, which is higher than the 80–100 days previously reported. The highest annual frequency is observed in Assam and Sub Himalayan West Bengal in the east and Jammu region in the north.
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