Why in the News?
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has unveiled the Bharat Forecast System (BFS) for weather predictions at panchayat level.
About Bharat Forecast System (BFS)
- Launch: The BFS was launched by IMD and developed by IITM Pune under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
- Forecast Accuracy: It delivers hyperlocal weather predictions at the panchayat level, using a 6 km × 6 km grid — the highest resolution in the world.
- Supercomputing Power: The system runs on two advanced supercomputers: Arka at IITM Pune and Arunika at NCMRWF Delhi.
- Purpose: BFS enhances short- and medium-term forecasts critical for agriculture, disaster preparedness, and public safety.
Key Features of BFS:
- High-Resolution Forecasting: It provides 6 km resolution forecasts, improving on the earlier 12 km resolution. It covers the tropical region between 30° South and 30° North latitude.
- Advanced Supercomputing: Arka- 11.77 petaflops, 33 petabytes; Arunika- 8.24 petaflops, 24 petabytes; Arka reduces forecast processing time from 10 hours to 4 hours; Includes a dedicated AI system with 1.9 petaflops power.
- Real-Time Nowcasting: Uses data from 40 Doppler Weather Radars (set to grow to 100); Provides real-time forecasts for the next 2 hours with high accuracy.
- Smart Grid Design: Uses a Triangular-Cubic Octahedral (TCO) grid, focusing computing power on weather-sensitive regions.
- Practical Benefits: Helps forecast heavy rainfall, improve crop planning, manage flood risk, and guide resource allocation.
- Global Benchmark: Most global models operate at 9–14 km resolution; India is now the only country with 6 km operational weather forecasts.
| [UPSC 2017] With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)’ sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. IOD phenomenon is characterized by a difference in sea surface temperature between tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean. 2. An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Nino’s impact on the monsoon. Select the correct answer using the code given below: Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2* (d) Neither 1 nor 2 |
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