Met Dept to set up weather observatory in Siliguri

SNS, SILIGURI, 22 OCTOBER 2018: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) will setup a weather observatory in Siliguri soon.

According to experts, they have felt for a long time need for a dedicated weather station and a system for issuing forecasts.

There are three weather stations in north Bengal-- Jalpaiguri, CoochBehar and Malda- -set up by the IMD, apart from observatories of agriculture, irrigation department and the central water commission (CWC), where the temperature and rainfall are recorded. One automatic rain gauge (ARG) of the CWC is located in Siliguri.

"The IMD will set up an observatory in Siliguri. We are looking into a suitable space for the purpose. The facility will record the temperature daily and the rainfall. At the same time, the observatory in Darjeeling will be upgraded at the earliest," the director of the state meteorological centre, Sikkim IMD, Dr Gopinath Raha, said.

Sources said there was a plan to setup the observatory in the heart of the town, while the upgraded observatory is expected to function by this year- end.

It may be recalled that weather data, rainfall and temperature recording system was adversely affected in Darjeeling as employees failed to attend the observatory office during the 104-daylong shutdown in the Hills last year.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata only issues weather forecasts in the state and the neighbouring states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Andaman Islands.

Senior meteorologists believe a forecast system should be introduced in Siliguri.

"There are two parts in the state— Gangetic West Bengal and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal. North Bengal falls under the Sub-Himalayan West Bengal. The weather always differs in the two regions. There are reports of intense lightning and thunderstorm in Islampur, while some areas of the foot Hills of the Himalays receive unprecedented rainfall sometimes. CoochBehar and some parts of the Dooars are considered flood-prone. Darjeeling Hills was among the most landslide-prone areas in the country. A forecast system under such situation is very much required for here." said a meteorologist.

Experts said the weather forecast would be more accurate once the observatories were set up. "It will be able to connect to remote areas in a better way, which will help prepare more accurate weather forecasts," said an expert.