India Meteorological Department (IMD) opened its first center in the Union Territory of Ladakh at Leh to strengthen weather related Early Warning System in the UT. The office was dedicated to the people of Ladakh by Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Science & Technology, Earth Sciences (through virtual mode from New Delhi) in the presence of R K Mathur, Lt Governor of Ladakh, Dr M Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Saugat Biswas, Divisional Commissioner/Secretary Disaster Management (Ladakh), Dr M Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology (DGM), IMD, Anand Sharma, Head Regional MeT center, New Delhi and Sonam Lotus, Sc- E, Head, MeT center, Leh. Dedicating the center to people of Ladakh, Dr Vardhan said at 3500 m, Meteorological Unit Leh will be the highest Meteorological center in India. He said to begin with, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has established a surface observatory at Leh for reporting daily Meteorological parameters like pressure, humidity, temperature, snowfall, etc. The Union Minister said, “At present Ladakh has got 4 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), two each in both districts of which one is at Drass, the coldest place in India. Real-time weather data is available online on IMD AWS site. To improve the network of observations, IMD has proposed to install more AWSs next year at the remotest of places like Nubra, Zanskar, Changthang, Parkachik, etc thus covering the whole of Ladakh”. Dr M Mohapatra said that IMD will install instruments for monitoring of Radiation, Air Pollution, opening of Agrometeorological Unit, Hydro- meteorological unit, Upper Air Instruments, Doppler Weather Radar etc. He said IMD will make every effort to make Meteorological Center Leh a world class scientific and service department in the coming years. With the availability of quality data from Ladakh, IMD will generate city specific forecast based on numerical models. To help the administration and the people of Ladakh, IMD will provide a range of weather forecast services, ranging from short (3 days) and medium (12 days) to extended (1 month) period to all the stake holders on a daily basis for both the districts (Leh and Kargil). Apart from district level forecast, IMD will provide forecast for important tourist places like Nubra, Changthang, Pangong Lake, Zanskar, Kargil, Drass, Dha-Baima (Aryan valley), Khalsi, etc. Some important services are Highway Forecast, Forecast for Mountaineering, Trekking, Agriculture, Flash Flood warning, information on gusty winds, low and high temperatures, etc. LG of Ladakh hoped that GoI will make every effort to provide the best possible weather services to the administration and the people of Ladakh and make Ladakh safe and secure from the vagaries of weather.
