We can’t escape disasters, but with correct advance advisory/warning, timely flow of information (using best possible technology) and good co-ordination among the service providers, administration and service users, the loss in terms of life and property can be minimized.

The state of J&K in particular and Western Himalaya in general is badly affected by heavy rain/snow, Extreme temp. (cold and heat wave ), hail and windstorm, flash flood, cloud bursts and snow avalanches etc.

Keeping these in view and the impact it has on our daily lives, it is felt that the demand for precise and accurate weather information specific to various users/sectors like tourism, executive planners, hydro projects, agriculture, irrigation, aviation, disaster management and other stake holders for both tactical and strategic planning has increased manifold.

With this background, India Meteorological Department has planned to organize one day Work Shop to bring the experts, the planners, disaster management, civil society and other stake holders on a plateform to discuss suitable strategies that leads to minimize the losses.

OBJECTIVE:

(i) To share our present meteorological services in Western Himalayas particularly during winter.

(ii) To get feedback from our different users.

(iii) To improve the weather services for region based on the feedback.

(iv) To further improve the co-ordination with various user agencies.

PARTICIPANTS:

Concerned J&K govt. departments, Farming community, Kashmir University, SKUAST-K and SKUAST-J, State Agriculture department, State disaster management, State Horticulture dept, Forest Dept., Irrigation & Flood Control dept., Dept of Science and Technology J&K, Technical expert from IMD, SASE, BEACON, ARMY, IAF, NGOs etc.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

1. Review of weather services of IMD in J&K

2. Identification of the gaps and strategies for early dissemination of weather warnings.

3. Identification of major share holders and their roles.

4. Capacity building needs for resilience towards natural disasters and climate change.

5. Sharing of experience, lessons learnt and to be learned.

IMD:

Mausam Bhavan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi

The beginnings of meteorology in India can be traced to ancient times. Early philosophical writings of the 3000 B.C. era, such as the Upanishadas, contain serious discussion about the processes of cloud formation and rain and the seasonal cycles caused by the movement of earth round the sun. Varahamihira's classical work, the Brihatsamhita, written around 500 A.D., provides a clear evidence that a deep knowledge of atmospheric processes existed even in those times. It was understood that rains come from the sun (Adityat Jayate Vrishti) and that good rainfall in the rainy season was the key to bountiful agriculture and food for the people. Kautilya's Arthashastra contains records of scientific measurements of rainfall and its application to the country's revenue and relief work. Kalidasa in his epic, 'Meghdoot', written around the seventh century, even mentions the date of onset of the monsoon over central India and traces the path of the monsoon clouds.

From a modest beginning in 1875, IMD has progressively expanded its infrastructure for meteorological observations, communications, forecasting and weather services and it has achieved a parallel scientific growth. IMD has always used contemporary technology. IMD became the first organisation in India to have a message switching computer for supporting its global data exchange. One of the first few electronic computers introduced in the country was provided to IMD for scientific applications in meteorology. India was the first developing country in the world to have its own geostationary satellite, INSAT and KALPANA dedicated to meteorology, for continuous weather monitoring and timely dissemination of weather warning like cyclone, heavy rain/snow etc. Under modernization programme, IMD is in process of installation of 550 AWS ( Automatic Weather Stations), 1350 ARG ( Automatic Raingauges) country wide, which gives us real time weather information with a click of a button in the comfort of a room.

IMD has 6 Regional Met Centre, Bombay, Kolkata, Chennai, Guhawati, Nagpur and New Delhi and 22 Meteorological Centre which caters to the metoeorlogical services of INDIA.

IMD has continuously ventured into new areas of application and service, and steadily built upon its infra-structure in its history of 125 years. It has simultaneously nurtured the growth of meteorology and atmospheric science in India. Today, meteorology in India is poised at the threshold of an exciting future.

MET CENTRE, SRINAGAR:

Met Centre, Srinagar, J&K

Meteorological Centre, Srinagar is situated in the south west sector of Srinagar city located at Lat 34 degree 05’ N and Long 74 degree 50’ E was established in the year 1973. Srinagar city being situated on river Jhelum in the Kashmir Valley has always reminded great attraction of tourists both native and foreign. The Kashmir Division marked with series of high ridges and narrow deep valleys, enjoys the extra tropical temperature climate with moderate monsoon conditions. The Jammu division, partly hilly terrain and partly plain is equally affected by extra tropical as well as tropical systems.

Meteorological Centre , Srinagar cater the Meteorological requirements of the state of Jammu and Kashmir comprising of Jammu and Kashmir Divisions with the total number of 22 Districts. It is maintaining a network of 12 Departmental and partime surface observations namely:Srinagar, Qazigund, Pahalgam, Kokernag, Kupwara,Gulmarg,Banihal,Bhaderwah,Kathua and coordinating with Air Force stations at Srinagar Awantipur, Udhampur,Jammu, Leh and Thoise and with SASE at Srinagar ( with 27 observatories along LOC) Jammu and Sasoma to study Mountain Meteorology.

Main Activities are mentioned as under :

1. Weather Forecasting services to the general public and government

authorities and user agencies of Jammu and Kashmir.

2. Agro meteorological Advisory services.

3. Rainfall monitoring on daily and weekly, monthly, Seasonal and annual basis and preparing district wise rainfall summaries.

4. Meteorological data support to government and semi-government authorities, Defence, Agriculture, Irrigation and Water resources management, Research and planning, purposes etc.

5. Security, data entry and maintenance of Humidity, Wind and Pressure.

6. Upper air observation of temperature, Humidity, Wind and Pressure.

7. Exchange of observational data, weather forecast and bulletins through

Departmental Telecommunication network.

8. Earth quake monitoring.

9. Monitoring of Radiation and air pollution.