IITM Pune Expands Disdrometer Network With First Installation In Himalayan Region
IITM Pune Expands Disdrometer Network With First Installation In Himalayan Region
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, has taken a pioneering step in enhancing India’s weather monitoring capabilities by installing a state-of-the-art Disdrometer at the Kangra Airport Campus in Dharamshala on November 23, 2024. This marks the first-ever installation of such an advanced instrument in the Himalayan region, underscoring IITM’s commitment for improving meteorological research across diverse terrains of India. Dharamshala, which is nestled in the Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh, is a serene and picturesque town that offers a perfect blend of natural beauty, spiritual tranquility, and rich cultural heritage. This is also considered to be the highest rainfall station of Himachal Pradesh with an annual average rainfall of ~ 3000 mm – thereby making it an ideal station for analyzing the Winter Rainfall due to Western Disturbances over the orographic region of Himalayas.
The installation was inaugurated by Airport Director Dhirender Singh, in the presence of IITM officials Dr. Kaustav Chakravarty (Scientist-F) and Harikrishna Devisetty (Scientist-B) and the IMD Official Vipan Sharma.
This initiative is part of IITM’s larger vision of establishing a nationwide disdrometer network to study precipitation microphysics in varying climatic regions.
