200 automatic weather forecast station in eastern India

Aizawl, Nov 19 (UNI) The Science and Technology Ministry has taken an initiative to set up about two hundred automatic weather forecast stations in eastern India.

Quoting National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting in New Delhi, the legal metrology officials here said the latest forecast module would be installed in Kolkata, Kharagpur and NE region.

The network would be able to monitor the atmospheric parameters including the prediction of thunderstorms continuosly, meterological officials said.

Moreover, the balloon borne instruments were also being released several times during the day to study the vertical structure of the atmosphere, the officials stated.

'' Since the entire eastern part of the country is influenced by the the weather of Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal, heavy rain, lightning, thunder, hail, strong surface winds and occasional tornado have caused severe damage in the states and there needs to be a comprehensive forecasting on frequent interval'', the official added.

The network would be the part the ministry sponsored experimental pilot project in April-May 2007 covering Eastern Orissa, Southern Bihar, West Bengal and NE region.

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