Annex III country Report of India 1 Meteorology

2.3.4.5 Common Alert Protocol (CAP)
Guidelines of implementation of Common Alert Protocol (CAP) have been received from WMO and India Meteorological Department (IMD) already has taken action for implementation of CAP with respect to cyclone, thunderstorm & earthquake.

Current Status

1. 
   SOP for Post De-Warning Procedures after the landfall of cyclone is prepared.
   
2. 
   Cyclone Hazard Maps for coastal zones is made available on IMD Website.
   
3. 
   Efforts are on to increase the number of SMS users to whom messages are sent during cyclone.
   
4. 
   Meetings related to cyclone preparedness and disaster management conducted by the State Govt. departments are regularly attended by IMD officers to provide necessary briefings and inputs.
   
5. 
   Frequent lectures on Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation are delivered to educate the State Govt. officials and NGOs.
   
6. 
   Dr. S. Balachandran, Scientist-E has been included as a core group member for the preparation of Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Plan. Necessary input material for the same is being prepared.
   
7. 
   Exhibits on Statistics on frequencies of landfalling Tropical Cyclones over the coastal belts of North Indian Ocean, Cyclone Warning procedures employed by IMD, Damages caused due to landfalling cyclones etc. are prepared every year with updated data and displayed in the meteorological exhibition conducted during the WM Day and National Science Day.
   
8. 
   45 exhibits (15 permanent) were prepared and put up for display at the exhibition hall of the newly constructed building for FMC Kanyakumari for the benefit of students and other visitors.
   
9. 
   Exhibits are also supplied to schools and other academic/ govt. institutions for display during scientific programmes.
   
10. 
    . IMD officials also participate in exhibitions conducted during National Science Congress and Science festivals organised by State Govt. and scientific institutions.
    
11. 
    The names, addresses and telephone Nos. of the Officers were sent to all concerned offices as a Pre-cyclone exercise.
    

2.3.4.6 On-going Projects

2.3.4.6.1 FDP on landfalling cyclones over the Bay of Bengal

Cyclone Warning Research Centre (CWRC, Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai is functioning as the Field Operational Centre (FOC) for the FDP(Cyclones) 2013 campaign w.e.f 15^th October. FOC’s report on the status of observational data received was sent to the National Operations Centre (NOC), IMD New Delhi daily. Daily observational data are archived as per the FDP implementation plan.

2.3.4.6.2 A project on development of a Tropical Cyclone Data Portal (TCDaP) for the North Indian Ocean is being initiated at CWRC, RMC Chennai.
2.3.4.6.3 A project on development and execution of a software tool TCWIND - for depicting winds associated with 43 Tropical Cyclones over North Indian Ocean during 2000-2010 (time series of maximum sustained wind speed, vertical wind shear, tangential and radial velocities) based on IMD’s best track data and 6-hrly NCEP FNL data is in progress.
2.3.4.6.4 Research on diabatic heat source and moisture sink associated with rapid intensification of north Indian ocean cyclones is being carried out.
2.3.4.6.2 Cyclone eAtlas-IMD
Cyclone eAtlas – IMD, a software for generation of tracks and statistics of cyclones and depressions over the North Indian Ocean was brought out in CD form by IMD during 2008 and subsequently hosted in the web at the URL: www.rmcchennaieatlas.tn.nic.in. The database for the software for 2015 updated and uploaded in the web. It is also sent to all buyers of the CD every year. As on date ,there are 6464 registered users with 21999 login in e-Atlas.
2.3.3.6.6.Statistical prediction of seasonal cyclonic activity over the North Indian Ocean

An experimental outlook on the seasonal cyclonic activity over the North Indian Ocean for the period October-December 2015 was prepared on real-time basis (during September 2015) and communicated to Cyclone warning Division, NewDelhi, and the Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Chennai . The prediction was validated at the end of the season. Efforts are on for improving the prediction model.

2.3.4.6.4 Experimental efforts are on for Cyclone Intensity and Track prediction based on WRF model. Track and Intensity predictions were generated on real time basis (experimental) and validated during October-December 2014, the chief cyclone period for the North Indian Ocean.
2.4 Training Component

The Human Resource Development has been one of the prime thrust areas of capacity building in IMD to keep pace with the latest trends in weather monitoring and forecasting. Meteorological Training Institute (MTI) at IMD Pune acts as a WMO recognised regional training centre. Like previous years, MTI Pune conducted various training programmes in 2015. The course curricula of various training courses have been modified keeping in view the latest developments. The institute imparted training for participants from 53 countries on various aspects. In addition, RSMC New Delhi conducted its regular cyclone training programme. Various other divisions of IMD such as Satellite Meteorological Division, Radar Division and NWP Division conducted training programmes in their respective areas for national and international participants. E-learning in training programme has been introduced for some courses of IMD. Initiative is being taken up to introduce distance learning through virtual classroom facilities in IMD’s training programme. Two refresher courses viz. on tropical cyclones and climate science have been organized in 2015. Five Advanced Refresher Courses viz. Aviation Meteorology, Radar Meteorology, Radar Technology, Communication and IS and NWP have been planned to be conducted during 2016-17.

2.5 Research
CURRENT STATUS

Research works pertaining to statistical, climatological and dynamical aspects of Tropical Cyclones of North Indian Ocean are undertaken regularly. Some recent efforts are listed below:

Project TCRAIN

A Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Analytical tool for the North Indian Ocean – TCRAIN that depicts rainfall characteristics of 59 Tropical Cyclones over North Indian Ocean during the period 2000-2015 was developed based on TRMM data by CWRC, RMC Chennai and the application is hosted in the web at the URL: www.cwrcimdchennaitcrain.in. The necessary software for generation of percentage frequency distribution of rain rates, azimuthally averaged radial profiles of rain rates and quadrant-wise mean rain rates around a cyclone centre and with respect to the direction of movement of the cyclone using 3hrly TRMM data was developed in-house. The products are generated for different stages of intensity of the system viz., (i) Depression, (ii) Cyclonic Storm and (iii) Severe Cyclonic Storm and above during its growth as well as decay for all the 59 cyclones would serve as valuable inputs for research on rainfall associated with Tropical Cyclones of the North Indian Ocean. As on date there were 811 registered users.

2.5.1. Research Papers

1. 
   Tropical cyclones and climate change. Walsh, K.J.E., J.L. McBride, P.J. Klotzbach, Balachandran, S.J. Camargo, G. Holland, T.R. Knutson, J. Kossin, T.-C. Lee, A. Sobel, and M. Sugi, 2015: WIRES Climate Change 65–89. doi: 10.1002/wcc.371.
   
2. 
   TCRAIN – A Database of Tropical Cyclone Raifall Products for North Indian Ocean S. Balachandran, B. Geetha, K. Ramesh, N. Selvam , Tropical Cyclone Research and Review. 2014, 3 (2): 122;  doi: 10.6057/2014TCRR02.05
   
3. 
   Eddy Angular Momentum Fluxes in Relation with Intensity Changes of Tropical Cyclones Jal (2010) and Thane (2011) in North Indian Ocean . Balachandaran S. and Geetha B. (2013), ‘High Impact Weather Events over the SAARC Region’ , pp164-176, Capital Publishing Company, New Delhi
   
4. 
   M Mohapatra & Monica Sharma, “Characteristics of surface wind structure of tropical cyclones over the north Indian Ocean” Journal of Earth System Science, 124(7):1573- 1598. DOI:10.1007/s12040-015-0613-6, Impact Factor 1.04.
   
5. 
   M Mohapatra, “Tropical cyclone forecast verification by India Meteorological Department For north Indian Ocean: a review”, Tropical Cyclone Research and Review, 03, 1-14.
   
6. 
   M Mohapatra, B. Geetha, S. Balachandran and L.S. Rathore, “ On the Tropical Cyclone Activity and Associated Environmental Features over North Indian Ocean in the Context of Climate Change, Journal of Climate Change”, Journal of Climate Change,1, 1-26.
   
7. 
   M Mohapatra, B. Geetha, S. Balachandran and L.S. Rathore, “On the Tropical cyclone activity and associated environmental features over North Indian Ocean in the Context of Climate change” Journal of Climate Change, Vol.1 No. 1-2 (2015), pp-1-26, DOI : 10.3233/ JCC-150001.
   
8. 
   M Mohapatra, D P Nayak, Monica Sharma, R P Sharma & B K Bandyopadhyay, “Evaluation of official tropical cyclone landfall forecast issued by India Meteorological Department” Journal of Earth System Science, 124(4), 861-874, DOI:10.1007/s12040- 015-0581-x, Impact Factor 1.04
   
9. 
   S. D. Kotal, Sumit Kumar Bhattacharya, S. K. Roy Bhowmik And P. K. Kundu, Verification of forecasts of IMD NWP based cyclone prediction system (CPS) for cyclones over the north Indian seas during 2013, MAUSAM, 66, 3 (July 2015), 497-510, 551.509.5 : 551.509.313.6 : 551.515.2 (267)
   
10. 
    Y. V. Rama Rao, K. Nagaratna, D. Joardar, Arun Sharma And Anil Kumar, "Evaluation of short range forecast for tropical cyclones over north Indian Ocean using TIGGE data", MAUSAM, 66, 3 (July 2015), 529-540, 551.509.5 : 551.515.2 (267)
    
11. 
    G. P. Singh, Medha Khole and D. M. Rase, "Extreme rainfall events and urban floods in the growing cities of India, MAUSAM, 66, 3 (Oct 2015), 825-840, 551.557(540).
    
12. 
    S. Nath, S. D. Kotal, P. K. Kundu, “Seasonal prediction of tropical cyclone activity over the North Indian Ocean using the neural network model”, Atmósfera 28(4), 2015, 271-281.
    

2.5.2. Participation in Seminar / Symposium / Conference
1. Dr.S.Balachandran, Scientist-E, participated in International Training Workshop of seven countries, on Tropical Cyclone Forecasting (ITWTCF-2015) during 3-14, August, 2015 at New Delhi and elivered talk on North Indian Ocean Tropical cyclone – Climatology and variability.

2. A meeting on development of standard operation procedure for Dam safety during cyclone period was held at IMD, New Delhi with experts from Cyclone Warning Division, Hydrometeorology Division of IMD and Central Water Commission on 20th January, 2016

3. Dr.M.Mohapatra, Sc.G (Services) participated in the 1st meeting of Indo-Russia joint commission for cooperation in the field of Disaster management on 22nd March 2016 at New Delhi and presented the Early warning system of IMD.

4. Dr. M. Mohapatra, Scientist ‘E', participated in a conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held by Govt. of Bihar at Patna during 13-14 May, 2015. He chaired the Panel Discussion of the Technical Session on Effective Multihazards Early Warning Systems and Hazard Monitoring.

5. Dr. M. Mohapatra, delivered a lecture on 8 May, 2015 on “Tropical Cyclone Genesis, impact and future scenario associated with climate change” in a training programme on 'Geo-Spatial Technologies for Coastal and Marine Disaster Management and Climate Change”, conducted by Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun and UN-ESCAP, Bangkok at Dehradun.

6. Dr. S. C. Sahu, Scientist 'F', delivered lecture on “Disaster Need Assessment: Weather Forecasting, Warning and Dissemination System for Preparedness, Evacuation and other Measures” and Climate change adaptation and disaster need assessment” at The Gopabandhu Academy of th Administration on 7 September, 2015.

7. Dr. S. Balachandran, Scientist 'E' participated in WMO Eighth Tropical cyclone RSMCs/TCWCs Technical Coordination Meeting (TCM-08) at Miami, Florida, USA during 2 to 6 November, 2015. He made presentation on recent activities and future plans of RSMC, New Delhi.

3. 
   Publication
   

• 
  Annual RSMC Report on Cyclonic Disturbances
  
• 
  Annual Cyclone Review Report of WMO/ESCAP Panel countries
  
• 
  Annual Tropical Cyclone Operation Plan (TCP-21)
  
• 
  WMO/ESCAP Panel News
  
• 
  Annual Report of Cyclone Warning Division, IMD and MoES
  
• 
  News Letters : IMD, MoES, SMRC
  
• 
  Preliminary reports of cyclonic disturbances
  

• 
  Tropical Cyclone Activity over the North Indian Ocean