Page 10 - Weather Forecasts

North India wakes up to thick layer of fog, trains, flights delayed

A thick layer of fog cloaked the Indo-Gangetic plains in north India on Tuesday, with poor visibility disrupting road and rail traffic. Satellite imagery showed a dense elongated band of fog stretching from Punjab to the northeast. A spokesperson for the railways said 30 trains arriving in Delhi were delayed by up to six hours due to foggy weather. At 5:30 am, visibility levels stood at zero metres in Varanasi, Agra, Gwalior, Jammu, Pathankot and Chandigarh; 20 metres in Gaya; 50 metres in Prayagraj and Tezpur; 100 metres in Agartala; 200 metres in Amritsar; and 300 metres in Gorakhpur. At the Palam Observatory near the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, visibility was limited to only 50 metres. Early morning foggy weather in north and northeast India has heavily impacted road, rail and air traffic over the last fortnight. On Monday, five flights were diverted and more than 100 flights were delayed at the Delhi airport. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia sai

PM Narendra Modi lauds IMD for exceptional service, climate research

The IMD started its 150th anniversary celebrations on Monday with the launch of the 'Panchayat Mausam Seva', which aims to give weather forecasts to every farmer in every village

'We aim to leverage tech to detect all small-scale severe weather events'

India aims to detect and predict all small-scale severe weather events through the augmentation of its weather observation network and the procurement of more powerful computing systems, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Monday. While launching the yearlong 150th-anniversary celebrations of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Rijiju emphasised that weather and climate impacts are more pronounced than ever, and India strives to become a more climate-resilient country. He said that although the IMD's forecast accuracy has improved by 40 per cent in the last five years compared to the preceding five years, challenges persist in predicting small-scale severe weather events such as cloudbursts. To address this challenge, Rijiju highlighted the importance of augmenting the network of doppler radars and automatic weather stations. The procurement of high-power computing systems will enable the IMD to run higher-resolution models, enhancing the ability to detect and predict all ..

Timely weather forecasts by IMD helping save lives, says VP Dhankhar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday lauded the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for issuing timely forecasts of weather events such as cyclones that helped save lives on high seas and contain damage to vessels. Launching the yearlong 150th anniversary celebrations of IMD, Dhankhar said there was a time when rainfall forecasts issued by the weather office proved to be incorrect, due to lack of scientific progress, but now the predictions were precise, "down to seconds". The vice president also launched a mobile app of the IMD -- 'Mausam' -- that integrates all services offered by the weather office and unveiled new initiatives such as the Panchayat Mausam Seva, Decision Support System and the National Framework for Climate Services. The function was attended by Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju, Earth Sciences Secretary M Ravichandran, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, former secretaries of the ministry and former directors general of IMD. "I could see inputs

IMD to use AI to better forecasts, admits predicting weather challenging

As it celebrates 150th year of its establishment, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has now set its eyes on fine-tuning its weather forecast models using artificial intelligence and faster supercomputers even though it struggles to predict small-level severe weather events. In an interview with PTI, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the weather office was setting up test beds in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh to better understand the physical processes leading to the formation of thunderstorms and heavy monsoon rains which could eventually help improve forecasts. The IMD will kick start its 150th-anniversary celebrations on Monday with the launch of Panchayat Mausam Seva' that aims to take weather forecasts to every farmer in every village and the National Framework for Climate Services to mainstream climate information in every sector and activity. Mohapatra said from issuing cyclone warnings at the Kolkata port in the late 19th century to issuing nowcasts that reac

Winter storm to bring snow, winds, ice and life-threatening chill to US

Brutally cold weather could prove a deadly challenge Saturday amid a continuing wave of Arctic storms that has hammered much of the country with blinding snow, freezing rain and whipping winds. Governors from New York to Louisiana declared states of emergency ahead of predicted snow and bone-chilling temperatures. In St. Louis, the National Weather Service bureau warned of rare and life-threatening cold. The fierce weather blitzed campaign schedules in Iowa, the leadoff GOP caucus state. With a blizzard warning covering most of the state, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump all shuffled their schedules ahead of Monday's presidential vote. Near-record cold in Kansas City will make for a frigid NFL playoff game Saturday night, when the Chiefs host Miami. Fans will be allowed to bring in blankets and first-aid stations were set up at Arrowhead Stadium. On Sunday, fans in Buffalo will contend with up to a foot (30 centimeters) of snow and fierce winds as the Bill

At 3.6 degrees Celsius, Delhi records coldest morning this winter

Delhi on Saturday recorded its lowest minimum temperature of the season at 3.6 degrees Celsius and thick fog blanketed several parts of the city, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. On Friday, the national capital had recorded a minimum temperature of 3.9 degrees Celsius, the lowest in five years. The maximum temperature on Saturday is likely to settle around 19 degrees Celsius, the IMD said. The visibility at Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's main weather station, was 200 metres at 5:30 am, it said. According to the Railways, 18 Delhi-bound trains were delayed by one to six hours due to the fog. According to the IMD, very dense fog is when visibility is between 0 and 50 metres, between 51 and 200 metres is dense, between 201 and 500 metres moderate, and between 501 and 1,000 metres shallow. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 365 at 9 am, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 ...

Panchayat-level weather forecast from next week: IMD chief Mohapatra

The weather office will also launch 'Har Har Mausam, Har Ghar Mausam' initiative and National Framework for Climate Services when it kicks off year-long celebrations to mark its 150th anniversary

Snowless NW Himalayas: El Nino leads to dry winter, may have ripple effect

High mountain passes with barely any snow, skiers hoping to slalom down white slopes disappointed and tourists calling off trips to hill destinations... the El Nino effect is playing out across the northwest Himalayas with an unusually dry winter and no immediate relief in the offing. According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), 2023 was the warmest-on-record year and the warming El Nino event is likely to further fuel the heat in 2024. The El Nino phenomenon occurs when sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are higher than average in the eastern tropical Pacific, and there is a simultaneous weakening of trade winds. The absence of snowfall is not a one-time thing but affects the annual cycle of snow. If it continues longer, it can have a huge cascading effect on socio-economic benefits. If you don't get (enough) snow, you don't get replenishment of water, it will impact agriculture, your health and can, in turn, impact your economy, glaciologist and Himalayan researcher A N

22 Delhi-bound trains delayed, city records min temp of 8.2 deg C

Twenty-two Delhi-bound trains were delayed by up to six hours on Sunday due to weather-related conditions in the national capital, which recorded a minimum temperature of 8.2 degrees Celsius, one notch above the season's average. According to the India Meteorological Department, humidity level recorded at 8.30 am was 79 per cent. The IMD said there will be shallow to moderate fog in the coming week, with the possibility of a cloudy sky and light rains on January 9. According to the railways, 22 Delhi-bound trains were delayed by one to six hours due to weather-related conditions in Delhi and different states. The IMD has forecast a mainly clear sky on Sunday with shallow fog in the morning. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 341 'very poor' at 10 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "sever

Delhi sees moderate fog, minimum temperature settles at 8.9 degrees Celsius

Delhi witnessed moderate fog on Saturday morning while the minimum temperature settled at 8.9 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The visibility at Safdarjung, Delhi's main weather station, and Palam was 500 metres at 5:30 am, the IMD said. The relative humidity stood at 100 per cent at 8:30 am. Train services were impacted due to fog with 14 Delhi-bound trains delayed, according to officials. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 315, in the 'very poor' category, at 9 am, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

Union Cabinet approves Rs 4,797 crore for 'Prithvi Vigyan' scheme

The government on Friday approved "Prithvi Vigyan", an overarching initiative comprising five on-going sub-schemes related to earth sciences, at a cost of Rs 4,797 crore over a five-year period from 2021-26. The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the proposal of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) to club the sub-schemes. The schemes are "Atmosphere and Climate Research-Modelling Observing Systems and Services", "Ocean Services, Modelling Application, Resources and Technology", "Polar Science and Cryosphere Research", "Seismology and Geosciences" and "Research, Education, Training and Outreach". "The overarching scheme of 'Prithvi Vigyan' (PRITHVI) will enable development of integrated multi-disciplinary earth science research and innovative programmes across different MoES institutes," an official statement said. It said these integrated research and development efforts will help in addressing the grand challenges of weather and climat

Delhi AQI continues to be very poor, maximum temperature below normal

Delhi weather forecast: According to IMD, Delhi's weather is likely to improve after January 7 with chances of drizzle on January 8 and 9

As cold-wave grips North India, 26 Delhi-bound trains delayed due to fog

Dense fog and low visibility engulfed the northern and northeastern parts of the country amidst harsh winter

Fog, haze in China as New Year travellers brace for potential disruptions

Central Meteorological Observatory issued first red alert for fog since 2017. Conditions were expected to improve from Saturday evening, when a cold wave of air is expected to blow over the country

IMD weather update: Dense fog to persist over northwest India, check update

The weather department warns dense fog in the region of northwest India to continue for the next three to four days. Check the latest weather forecast

India vs South Africa 1st Test Day 3: Centurion weather forecast on Dec 27

India vs South Africa 1st Test Day 3 weather forecast: Far more improved weather from the first two days of play will be on display on the third day in Centurion

IND vs SA 1st Test, Day 1 Highlights: Rabada 5-fer gives Proteas upper hand

India vs South Africa 1st Test, Day 1 Highlights: Only 59 overs of play was possible on the first day as Kagiso Rabada took a five-wicket haul and KL Rahul hit fifty as India remained 208/8

Beijing records longest cold wave since 1951; snowfall, temperature ease

China's Beijing recorded the longest cold wave since records began in 1951 as the freezing temperature and snowfall experienced in the Chinese capital and elsewhere began to ease

IMD weather forecast: Dense fog in Northern parts of India for two days

India Meteorological Department informs that very dense fog is likely to continue till Northwest and some parts of Central India for the next two days