Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh jointly launched the new Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) at Lucknow on Monday, 8 June.
In a statement, the Ministry of Earth Sciences said the new centre will strengthen regional forecasting capabilities and improve weather services for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and adjoining regions.
At the launch, Singh said India’s meteorological infrastructure has expanded significantly over the last decade, enabling more accurate, location-specific and impact-based weather forecasting across the country.
He said India had only 17 Doppler Weather Radars in 2014. The network has now expanded to 50 Doppler Weather Radars, while another 50 radars are proposed under Mission Mausam, taking the total to nearly 100 radars over the next 2 years.
Referring to Uttar Pradesh, Singh said the state had only 1 Doppler Weather Radar in 2014. It now has 3 operational radars, while 6 more are being commissioned shortly.
The ministry said Uttar Pradesh’s Automatic Weather Stations have increased from 59 to 107, Automatic Rain Gauge stations from 132 to 140 and lightning sensors from 0 to 7.
Aviation meteorological services are now being provided at 11 airports across Uttar Pradesh, reflecting the expansion of aviation infrastructure in the state.
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Singh said Uttar Pradesh’s geographical diversity and climatic variability make it an important region for advanced meteorological services.
He said the state is vulnerable to floods, droughts, heatwaves, thunderstorms and other extreme weather events, making timely forecasts and warning systems critical for public safety and disaster preparedness.
The minister also referred to the expansion of meteorological services in Uttarakhand, noting that the state, despite its vulnerability to flash floods, cloudbursts, landslides and avalanches, previously had no Doppler Weather Radar.
Today, 3 Doppler Weather Radars have been installed in Uttarakhand, while additional systems are being planned under Mission Mausam.
The ministry said the new RMC at Lucknow will decentralise meteorological services and support more focused monitoring, forecasting and dissemination of weather information.
Plans are also being made for dedicated infrastructure, including advanced Doppler Weather Radars and wind profiler systems, with support from the Uttar Pradesh government.
Singh said improved forecasting systems are contributing to disaster risk reduction by providing advance warnings for flash floods, cloudbursts, thunderstorms, lightning, avalanches and other extreme weather events.
He urged citizens, local authorities and disaster management agencies to use weather forecasts and take early warnings seriously, including impact-based warnings available through digital platforms.
The minister said weather information is now reaching districts, local administrations and Panchayats in real time and should be integrated into planning and decision-making.
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