Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs)
Why in news?
India's Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs) have expanded to 47 operational units, covering 87% of the country's area for enhanced real-time monitoring and forecasting of weather events like cyclones and heavy rain. Recent parliamentary updates highlight installations in Himalayan regions such as Srinagar, Jammu, and Leh to improve coverage in hilly terrains. The government plans further deployments under Mission Mausam to achieve full coverage and replace aging radars.​
About Doppler weather radar
- Doppler weather radar is a specialized radar used to detect rain and storm structure and to measure the motion of precipitation particles in the atmosphere.
- It is a key tool for short‑range weather forecasting and severe weather warnings.​
Basic principle
- Radar transmits pulses of radio waves that hit raindrops, snow, or hail and are scattered back to the antenna.​
- The time taken for the echo to return gives the distance, and the strength of the returned signal gives the intensity of precipitation (shown as reflectivity in dBZ on radar images).​
Specialized Doppler radars
- Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) near major airports focuses on low‑level wind shear, microbursts, and hazardous winds along approach and departure paths.​
- Airborne tail Doppler radar on research aircraft provides 3‑D “CAT‑scan” views of storms, supporting detailed analysis of hurricane structure and intensity.​
Applications
- Cyclone Tracking: Early warning for coastal states.
- Monsoon Forecasting: Real-time rainfall measurement.
- Disaster Management: Alerts for floods, cloudbursts, and landslides.
- Aviation Safety: Detects wind shear and turbulence.
- Agriculture: Helps farmers with rainfall prediction.
Advantages
- High accuracy in short-term forecasts.
- Real-time monitoring of extreme weather events.
- Supports disaster preparedness and climate resilience.
Limitations
- Coverage gaps in remote areas (e.g., Northeast).
- High installation and maintenance costs.
- Limited range (~500 km per radar).
- Signal attenuation during heavy rainfall.
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