Purnia/Patna: A new Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) being installed at the India Meteorological Department’s station in Purnia is expected to significantly improve weather forecasting across Bihar’s Seemanchal region, enabling authorities and residents to receive warnings of severe weather events up to three hours in advance.
Officials said the radar, currently under installation, will provide real-time information on thunderstorms, lightning, strong winds and rainfall across Purnia and surrounding districts, covering an area within a radius of approximately 100 kilometres.
The initiative is expected to strengthen disaster preparedness, reduce fatalities caused by lightning strikes and help farmers protect crops from sudden weather changes.
Advance Warnings For Villages And Panchayats
A senior official at the Meteorological Centre in Purnia, said the radar would enable weather alerts to be issued at a much more localised level.
“The DWR radar being installed in Purnia will be able to detect weather conditions two to three hours in advance and provide forecasts for Purnia and the wider Seemanchal region within a 100-kilometre radius,” he said.
According to officials, the system will provide information down to the block and panchayat levels, allowing residents to take precautionary measures before severe weather strikes.
The department expects the advance warning system to help people move to safer locations during thunderstorms and lightning events.
Boost For Farmers
Meteorologists say the radar could also provide substantial benefits to the agricultural sector.
Farmers in the region frequently suffer losses when harvested crops left in fields are damaged by unexpected rainfall. With earlier forecasts, they will have more time to secure produce and minimise losses.
Officials noted that lightning strikes remain a recurring hazard in parts of Seemanchal, often causing fatalities during the monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons.
By providing more accurate and timely warnings, authorities hope to reduce both human and economic losses.
Coverage Extends Beyond Bihar
The radar’s coverage area will not be limited to Bihar alone.
Officials said the system will monitor weather conditions across Seemanchal as well as adjoining areas of West Bengal and Jharkhand located within its operational range.
This is expected to improve forecasting accuracy and strengthen regional weather monitoring capabilities.
Improved Forecasting And Public Safety
The senior official at the Meteorological Centre, said the radar would play a crucial role in improving weather-related decision-making.
“Residents of Purnia and the Seemanchal region, as well as people living within the radar’s coverage area, will benefit from more accurate forecasts. In the coming years, this could help reduce lightning-related deaths and prevent crop damage,” he said.
Officials said installation work is progressing rapidly and that the radar is expected to become operational soon.
Once commissioned, the facility is expected to mark a significant upgrade in weather forecasting infrastructure for eastern Bihar, offering more precise and timely information to residents, farmers and local authorities.
