India's AI in Weather Forecasting

The Indian government, through the India Meteorological Department (IMD), is experimenting with artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance climate models, specifically for forecasting severe weather conditions.

K.S. Hosalikar, the head of climate research and services at the IMD, anticipates that AI-based climate models will play a pivotal role in improving forecasting accuracy, particularly for critical events like floods and droughts.

Presently, the IMD relies on mathematical models and supercomputers for weather forecasting.

However, the incorporation of AI has the potential to yield higher-quality and more cost-effective weather data.

Hosalikar notes that AI is already being utilised to generate public alerts for extreme weather events such as heatwaves and disease outbreaks like malaria.

Future Plans of IMD

The IMD's future plans include expanding the use of AI down to the village level, increasing the number of weather observatories.

This expansion aims to provide higher-resolution forecasting data, enhancing the country's preparedness for severe weather conditions.

The Indian government has established a center to test the integration of AI into traditional weather forecasting methods.

An assistant professor at Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, Saurabh Rathore, said:

"An AI model doesn't require the high cost involved in running a supercomputer - you can even run it out of a good quality desktop,"

Additionally, workshops and conferences are in the pipeline, demonstrating the government's commitment to exploring and adopting advanced technologies in weather prediction.

Role of Precision Forecasting in India

Accurate weather forecasting holds importance in India, a country with diverse weather patterns and a population of 1.4 billion.

The impacts of climate change, including worsening droughts, heatwaves, and intense flooding, make precision forecasting an element in disaster preparedness.

India's significance in global agricultural production, ranking as the second-largest producer of rice, wheat, and sugar, further underscores the importance of advanced climate forecasting.

Embracing Technological Innovations

The application of AI in weather prediction aligns with global strategies, such as Google's "Understand, Optimise, Accelerate" framework.

Notably, the weather forecasting sector has been embracing emerging technologies, with startups like WeatherXM deploying decentralised weather stations worldwide, leveraging blockchain and crypto for optimised weather data collection.

This approach showcases the industry's commitment to innovation for more effective climate monitoring and prediction.