In a major push to strengthen urban weather forecasting and disaster preparedness, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) plans to install 50 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) each in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Pune during 2026 – a total of 200 new stations aimed at enhancing real-time weather observation and hyper-local forecasting.
The announcement was made by Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh, on the 151st Foundation Day of the IMD, highlighting the government’s commitment to data-driven weather services for densely populated urban regions.
Singh said that a dense network of Automatic Weather Stations will provide granular and high-resolution spatial data, enabling more accurate prediction of sudden downpours, thunderstorms, extreme heat events, and rapid pressure changes. He emphasised that such data-driven forecasting is critical not only for disaster risk reduction but also for informed decision-making in sectors such as agriculture, aviation, urban planning, and public safety.
Highlighting the transformation in India’s weather forecasting capabilities, the Minister said forecast accuracy has improved by more than 40 to 50 per cent compared to earlier decades. Cyclone track prediction accuracy has increased by nearly 35 to 40 per cent, while errors in monthly and seasonal forecasts have reduced sharply from around 7.5 per cent to nearly 2.5 per cent. He attributed these improvements to sustained investment, technological freedom, and institutional support over the last decade.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the launch of Mission Mausam by Prime Minister Narendra Modi represents a clear declaration of intent and priority by the Government towards advanced meteorological science and climate services. He added that when the Prime Minister articulates such initiatives from major national platforms, it sends a strong signal about the government’s long-term commitment to scientific capacity building and public welfare.
The Minister also highlighted India’s growing role as a regional leader in meteorological services, noting that India now provides disaster-related weather information and satellite-based support to neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. He said that these efforts have strengthened regional cooperation and underscored India’s responsibility as a trusted partner in disaster management across South Asia.
Detailing IMD’s infrastructure expansion, Singh said the number of weather radars has nearly tripled over the past decade, now covering close to 87 per cent of the country’s geographical area. He pointed to the expansion of Doppler Weather Radars, solar radiation monitoring networks, aerosol monitoring systems, micro radiometers, and rainfall monitoring schemes that now extend down to the district and block levels. He also highlighted the development of highly localised forecasts, including ultra-short-range predictions that allow citizens to make informed decisions within timeframes as precise as three hours.
