J&K govt to put weather forecasting system for Amarnath yatra

Jammu and Kashmir government will put hi-tech weather forecasting systems in place for the smooth conduct of the annual Amarnath yatra beginning July 2.
This was disclosed during a meeting held here to review arrangements for weather forecasting for the ensuing Yatra starting next month, an official spokesman said.
He said the meeting was attended by Chief Executive Officer, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, (SASB), P K Tripathi and Director, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Srinagar, Sonum Lotus, among others.
During the meeting, Tripathi stressed on the need for timely and advance provision of weather trend and critical weather conditions.
He said there was a need for accurate weather predictions so that the Shrine Board could take timely decisions to stop the movement of pilgrims, if that becomes necessary.

The Director IMD informed the meeting that an X-Band Doppler Weather Radar, having a range of 100 Kms, had been installed at Srinagar and was operational for the last two months and has been providing reliable weather forecasting.

Lotus said the weather related SMSs will be circulated among all the officers connected with Yatra arrangements, containing sector-wise weather forecast like Jammu-Banihal Sector, Banihal-Srinagar Sector and so on.
The forecasts would be based on the observatories of IMD located at Jammu, Batote, Banihal, Qazigund, Pahalgam and Srinagar.
He said Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) will be established at Chandanwari, Sheshnag, Panjtarni, Holy Cave and Baltal during the Yatra period.

In addition, IMD would also put up LED based weather display Boards at Baltal and Nunwan base camps.
The director also informed that a webpage, indicating weather conditions through satellite imagery, would also be uploaded, exclusively for the yatra with effect from June 20.
The CEO SASB advised the intending pilgrims to visit IMD website www.Amssdelhi.Gov.In and www.Imd.Gov.In for receiving prior information about the weather conditions before embarking on the pilgrimage.