Big scope for collaboration between India and the UK in Weather Forecasting, says Dr Jitendra Singh

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Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh has said there is big scope for collaboration between India and the United Kingdom in Weather Forecasting.

Inaugurating the 4th WCSSP-India Annual Science Workshop – 2023 in New Delhi today, he said not only both countries are in the same hemisphere but it is easier working with the UK as the comfort level in our relationship is high.

“Both societies face similar situations, which makes us look at issues including weather forecasting, with a common perspective,” he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said weather prediction has become a science of precise modelling and involves critical technology and data assimilation.“Weather forecasting has become an essential part of the life of the common citizen,” he said, stressing on the need for continuous improvisation.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Christina Scott, Minister Deputy High Commissioner to India, hoped the Workshop will help formulate the right kind of response to severe and extreme weather phenomena affecting both countries. The two countries are also working closely on building Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, she said.

Addressing the workshop, Dr M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said this Workshop is being held after a two-year interruption due to the Covid pandemic. It will focus on Understanding, Modelling and Assimilation of Data for Weather Forecasting, he said.

The Workshop is being held as part of the Implementation Agreement related to the project “Weather and Climate Science for Service Partnership India (WCSSP-India)”, signed on 7th February 2019. It followed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Weather and Climate Sciences signed between the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India and Met Office, UK on 28th January 2019.

Around 25 UK scientists and around 70 Indian scientists/researchers will physically participate in the workshop in addition to more than 50 online participants. The deliberations and discussion during the meeting are expected to give new ideas and directions for this collaborative effort to improve the weather and climate forecast capabilities, especially of the high-impact weather over the Indian region.

The key science objectives of the WCPSS-India Project through India-UK collaboration include research on natural hazards in the South Asian Monsoon system and improving tools and techniques for risk-based forecasting of natural hazards at a range of prediction timescales.

Considerable and significant progress has been achieved through this project including the implementation and successful testing of the global coupledNumerical Weather Prediction (NWP) system and improvements in the operational sub-km resolution fog forecast model ofNCMRWF.Extensive model intercomparison has led to new knowledge related to monsoon hazard processes and co-development of prototype tools for FloodHazard Impact Modelling.

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