Better early warning system

It is the middle of July and farmers in upper Sindh are licking their lips at the sight of vast fields of cotton which is almost ready for picking. But on the horizon lies their source of worry — dark clouds which may bring rain and destroy the fruits of their labour before their very eyes.

In the past, such scenarios were quite common because Pakistan, and thus its farmers, had little access to technology which could accurately predict weather systems forming in the skies above and by a difference of a day or so, many have lost their crops, and thus their source of income for the next year.

But now, thanks to support from Japan, Pakistan will be getting modern C-band Doppler radars. These new weather radars will help enhance the ability of the Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) to make accurate short-term weather forecasts in a 450-kilometre radius around Karachi.

As welcome as the radar’s addition is, this is the first major civilian radar upgrade in three decades, though in that time the PMD has focused on enhancing its satellite capabilities. Better weather radar systems can play a critical role in detecting and warning of weather hazards such as high winds, storms and intense precipitation — which as we saw in Lahore this week can be nothing short of catastrophic.

The National Disaster Management Authority chief believes that if their early warning systems get a boost from the radar, it will be helpful for them to respond to them by either evacuating the area where the weather event is expected to impact or even provide relief.

It is hoped that once the radar comes online next year, it will not only help improve weather predictions but can lead to better early warning systems to prevent extensive damage and loss of lives particularly on the coasts of Sindh and Balochistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2019.

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