The weather predictions issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) are accurate and at par with those issued by advanced nations of the world. The highest accuracy of 30 km was predicted during the recent ‘Titli’ cyclone, Director General of IMD KJ Ramesh has said.
Speaking to newsmen, who met him on the sidelines of a meeting, organised to lay the foundation for construction of the Regional Centre of National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), here on Friday, he said: “I had announced to media channels in Delhi on October 10 morning itself that the landfall would be to the north of Kalingapatnam.” When his attention was brought to IMD websites giving varying predictions on the place of landfall, he felt it could be due to miscommunication between the regional offices.
On the deficiency in rainfall during the south west monsoon, Dr. Ramesh said the countrywide average was fairly good. The reservoir levels were also good compared to the last 10-year average levels. The sowing of crops was, however, 1.8% less than last year. He said that flash flood guidance was being developed under the micro watershed programme .
Land sought
The State Meteorology centre, for Andhra Pradesh, would be set up in Amaravati by December-end. “We have asked the State government for an acre of land. We already have radar at Machilipatnam and an observatory at Gannavaram. We can start the State office in the SRM University campus,” he said. On the shortage of staff in the IMD, Dr. Ramesh said around 1,100 persons were selected for the posts of ‘Scientific Assistants’ recently.
The IMD Director General said a system was developing in the Bay of Bengal and it was likely to cross the south Tamil Nadu coast around November 7. It was likely to affect Tamil Nadu and there could be heavy rain in south coastal AP and Rayalaseema.
