Mumbai gets India's FIRST short-range weather radar network | What is it & how will it help?

Mumbai has become India's first mega metropolitan city to be covered by a short-range polarimetric radar network. Four new X-band radars have been installed and are currently undergoing testing, bringing the total number of weather radars monitoring the region to six. This makes Mumbai the most extensively covered city in India for weather surveillance.

The radar network, inaugurated on September 14, is part of the recently approved Mission Mausam. This initiative aims to strengthen India's observational network with up to 100 radars nationwide over the next two years.

With a scanning range of 60 km per radar, the network will cover areas like Vile Parle, Panvel, and Vasai-Virar, improving local nowcast warnings. They are particularly suited for dense urban areas and will provide high-resolution rainfall maps in real-time, scanning at 5-minute intervals.