The much-awaited Doppler radar centres, which are now at the completion stage at Gopalpur and Paradip, will be operational within two months. It was informed by Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General lS Rathore here on Monday.After meeting Chief Secretary GC Pati at the State Secretariat, Rathore said the two centres would be helpful in prediction of cyclonic storms, thunderstorms, excessive rainfall and hailstorms, with more accuracy than the traditional analogue radars used till date.
Rathore said the Doppler radars would pinpoint the exact location where a cyclone will hit whereas the traditional analogue radars used for weather forecast are only able to roughly indicate the possible places where the cyclone may hit.According to the IMD DG, the Doppler radars would also forecast volume of rainfall at a particular place at a given point of time. Sources said till now, no Doppler radars were available for weather prediction in the State, and it was being done through traditional analogue radars which are currently functioning only at Bhubaneswar and Paradip.