Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Nov 28: The indigenously built, advanced Doppler radar installed in Mangaluru has been officially inaugurated. As part of Mission Mausam, aimed at enhancing India’s weather forecasting capabilities, union minister of state for earth sciences Dr Jitendra Singh virtually inaugurated the new Doppler Radars in Mangaluru and Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on Thursday.

This is the first Doppler Radar to be installed in Karnataka. The radar has been set up at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) office located in Shaktinagar, Mangaluru.

Using the Doppler effect (a change in frequency of waves such as light or sound), the radar can detect rainfall, measure the movement of rain clouds based on wind speed and direction, and perform other essential functions for weather forecasting. The C-band radar, which transmits waves both horizontally and vertically, has a range of up to 250 km. It will provide forecasts of thunderstorms, heavy rain, lightning, hailstorms, strong winds, turbulence, and other severe weather conditions across Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, South Konkan, North Lakshadweep, and the coastal region of South Maharashtra. It is also capable of detecting hailstorms.