Seventh Regional Meteorological Centre opens at Jammu

The Regional Meteorological Centre at Jammu: what happened?

Until now, the Delhi regional centre handled weather for eight States and UTs, from Ladakh to Rajasthan. Mountain weather changes fast and needs its own forecasters. Jammu now takes the Himalayan north-west.

• Services include district forecasts, mountain weather forecasts, tourist advisories and city forecasts.
• Pilgrims on the Amarnath and Vaishno Devi yatras, farmers, hydropower projects and security forces are expected to benefit.
• Under Mission Mausam, radars are proposed for Anantnag, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kishtwar and Doda.
• An AWS and a seismology centre will be set up in Kishtwar after last year’s disaster there.

What else was mentioned?

• Srinagar Meteorological Observatory is recognised by the WMO as a Centennial Observing Station.
• A High-Altitude Cloud Physics Laboratory works at Patnitop with Swiss institutions.
• Five seismic stations in J&K and Ladakh send near real-time data to the National Centre for Seismology.

Why does the Regional Meteorological Centre at Jammu matter?

• Disaster management: Better warnings for cloudbursts, flash floods and avalanches.
• Security and pilgrims: Weather services for yatras and forces in difficult terrain.

What can Prelims ask on the Regional Meteorological Centre at Jammu?

• RMC Jammu: seventh RMC; covers J&K, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.
• Doppler radars at Jammu, Srinagar, Leh and Banihal Top.
• Srinagar observatory: WMO Centennial Observing Station.