NCMRWF Hosts Two-Week Workshop for BIMSTEC Countries on Data Assimilation and Forecast Verification

The BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate (BCWC) at NCMRWF, Noida, consolidates scientific and technical resources and establishes an institutional mechanism to boost regional cooperation among BIMSTEC countries.

The National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), a sub-ordinate office of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), is organizing a two-week workshop for BIMSTEC countries from July 15 to 26, 2024, in Noida. This high-level workshop features key officials from the National Hydrology and Meteorology Services of BIMSTEC members—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The workshop was inaugurated by Shri Vishwajeet Sahay, Additional Secretary and Finance Adviser, MoES, on July 15, 2024. It aims to enhance skills and share knowledge in Data Assimilation and Forecast Verification Techniques.

Dr. V.S. Prasad, Head of NCMRWF, emphasized the importance of the workshop, stating, "BIMSTEC countries share similar weather conditions and challenges of rendering skillful meteorological services to society. This workshop reflects our dedication to fostering international capacity building, knowledge sharing, and promoting regional cooperation in the BIMSTEC region." The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) countries have emerged as a crucial regional group for technical and economic cooperation. The BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate (BCWC) at NCMRWF, Noida, consolidates scientific and technical resources and establishes an institutional mechanism to boost regional cooperation among BIMSTEC countries.

The BIMSTEC workshop includes interactive sessions and hands-on training modules. Interactive sessions with domain experts aim to foster practical understanding and application of data assimilation and forecast verification techniques. The hands-on training enhances learning and skills, particularly in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and forecast verification. This initiative is set to boost human resources capacity building and scientific knowledge sharing, especially in forecasting, early warning systems, and observing systems.

By facilitating these sessions, NCMRWF aims to enhance the proficiency of meteorological services across the BIMSTEC region, ensuring better preparedness and response to weather-related challenges.