India has extensively expanded its Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) network over the past decade to strengthen its weather monitoring and forecasting capabilities

India has extensively expanded its Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) network over the past decade to strengthen its weather monitoring and forecasting capabilities

India has significantly expanded its Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) network over the past decade to strengthen its weather monitoring and forecasting capabilities.India’s DWR network has grown from 14 radars in 2014 to around 50 in 2026, representing an increase of over 250%.The current network provides coverage to approximately 85–87% of India’s geographical area, significantly improving real-time weather monitoring.Under the government’s Mission Mausam initiative, additional radars are planned to further enhance coverage, especially in coastal, mountainous, and disaster-prone regions.Future plans aim to expand the network to over 100 radars, enabling near-complete national coverage and improved accuracy in forecasting.The expansion is accompanied by advancements in dual-polarization radar technology, which enhances the ability to distinguish between different types of precipitation.

Doppler Weather Radar (DWR)

¨     Doppler Weather Radar is a remote sensing system that uses the Doppler effect to measure the velocity and movement of atmospheric particles such as raindrops, snow, and hail.

¨     It operates by emitting microwave signals and analysing the frequency shift of the signals reflected back from moving objects.

¨ Modern DWRs provide high-resolution, real-time data on precipitation, wind patterns, and storm intensity, enabling short-term forecasting or “nowcasting.”

¨    These radars play a crucial role in tracking cyclones, thunderstorms, and severe weather systems with high precision.

Types of DWR

¨     S-Band Radar: S-band radars operate at longer wavelengths and are particularly effective for long-range detection, making them ideal for tracking large-scale systems such as cyclones.

¨   C-Band Radar: C-band radars provide a balance between range and resolution and are widely used for general weather monitoring, especially in urban and semi-urban regions.

¨  X-Band Radar: X-band radars operate at shorter wavelengths and offer high-resolution data over short distances, making them suitable for localized weather monitoring and urban flood forecasting.

Working of DWR

¨     The radar transmits pulses of electromagnetic waves into the atmosphere, which are reflected back by precipitation particles such as raindrops.

¨     The time taken for the signal to return helps determine the distance of the weather system, while the frequency shift (Doppler shift) indicates the speed and direction of movement.

¨ Advanced DWRs use dual-polarization technology, sending signals in both horizontal and vertical orientations to identify the type and shape of precipitation.

¨     The collected data is processed and integrated with weather models to generate accurate forecasts and early warnings.