Japan-funded weather forecast system ready

ISLAMABAD:

A weather reporting system donated by the Embassy of Japan to Pakistan will give up to 10-day forecast for the federal capital.

Japanese Ambassador Matsuda Kuninori and Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan inaugurated the project for the establishment of Specialized Medium Range Forecasting Centre (SMRFC) and Strengthening of Weather Forecasting System at the PMD. Japan International Cooperation Agency Representative Furuta Shigeki and PMD Director-General Muhammad Riaz were present at the ceremony.

This project has updated the degraded weather radar system in Islamabad and provided the wind profiler radar for upper-air observation, which monitor wind direction and speed in the headquarters of PMD in the Islamabad and Multan Airport. The weather forecasting and analysis system which enables medium-range - up to 10 days - forecasting has been also provided to the SMRFC located in the headquarters of PMD in Islamabad.

The Japanese government also arranged technical training of the PMD staff for the operation and maintenance of the weather radar and utilisation of various meteorological products for weather forecasting.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th, 2021.