India to Deploy 200 Automatic Weather Stations Across Four Metro Cities to Boost Hyper-Local Forecasting

Highlighting IMD’s progress, the Minister said India’s forecast accuracy has improved by 40–50 per cent over past decades.

In a major push to strengthen urban weather forecasting and disaster preparedness, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh, today announced the deployment of 200 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) across four major metropolitan cities.

Under the initiative, 50 Automatic Weather Stations each will be installed in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Pune during 2026, significantly expanding India’s capacity for hyper-local, real-time weather monitoring in densely populated urban regions.

The announcement was made during the 151st Foundation Day celebrations of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), marking over a century and a half of the organisation’s service to the nation.

Strengthening Urban Climate Resilience

Addressing senior officials, meteorologists and stakeholders, Dr Jitendra Singh said the dense AWS network would generate high-resolution spatial data, enabling more accurate prediction of sudden downpours, thunderstorms, heatwaves and rapid pressure changes.

He stressed that granular, data-driven forecasts are essential not only for disaster risk reduction, but also for informed decision-making in aviation, agriculture, urban planning, transport and public safety.

IMD’s Technological Transformation

Highlighting IMD’s progress, the Minister said India’s forecast accuracy has improved by 40–50 per cent over past decades. Cyclone track prediction accuracy has improved by nearly 35–40 per cent, while errors in monthly and seasonal forecasts have declined sharply from 7.5 per cent to around 2.5 per cent.

He attributed these gains to sustained investments, technological upgrades and strong institutional support over the last decade.

Dr Jitendra Singh noted that the launch of Mission Mausam by Prime Minister Narendra Modi reflects the Government’s long-term commitment to advanced meteorological science and climate services, adding that such national-level initiatives send a clear signal on the priority accorded to science-led governance.

Expanding Infrastructure and Regional Leadership

The Minister said IMD’s infrastructure has expanded rapidly, with the number of weather radars nearly tripling over the past decade and now covering around 87 per cent of India’s geographical area. Enhanced Doppler Weather Radars, rainfall monitoring systems, aerosol and solar radiation networks, and ultra-short-range forecasting tools now extend down to district and block levels, enabling forecasts with lead times as precise as three hours.

He also highlighted India’s growing role as a regional provider of meteorological and disaster-related services, noting that India shares weather data and satellite-based support with neighbouring countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, strengthening South Asian disaster preparedness.

Public Trust and Green Initiatives

Referring to recent surges in public traffic on IMD’s digital platforms during extreme events, the Minister said the overwhelming demand reflects growing public trust in IMD’s advisories. He added that digital infrastructure is being further upgraded to handle increasing user engagement.

Dr Jitendra Singh also pointed to IMD’s alignment with green energy goals, noting that its headquarters is among the first government institutions to transition fully to solar power, resulting in cost savings and surplus electricity fed back into the national grid.

New Facilities and Future Plans

As part of the Foundation Day programme, the Minister inaugurated several new facilities at the IMD campus, including a Model Observatory, a 3D-Printed Automatic Weather Station, and an Agro-Automatic Weather Station, showcasing India’s focus on indigenously developed, cost-effective meteorological technologies.

Concluding his address, Dr Jitendra Singh said the Government is working on proposals to establish Centres of Excellence and additional Regional Meteorological Centres to further enhance IMD’s reach and capacity. He expressed confidence that IMD will continue to strengthen its role as a cornerstone of India’s climate services and disaster management framework.