For how many days in advance, weather forecasts are currently issued by IMD in Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS) Project
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Agromet advisories issued by GKMS (IMD) are based on medium-range weather forecasts.
These forecasts are issued twice a week (Tuesday and Friday) for the next 5 days to help farmers plan field operations.
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS) is a flagship project implemented by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in collaboration with agricultural universities and research centers.
The objective of this project is to provide location-specific, crop-oriented weather advisories (Agromet Advisories) directly to farmers to help them make informed day-to-day farming decisions, such as sowing, irrigation, fertilizer application, and pesticide spraying. Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Under the GKMS project, weather forecasts are generated using advanced numerical weather prediction models.
These forecasts are categorized by their lead time:
1. Short-range forecasts: Valid for up to 48 hours.
2. Medium-range forecasts: Valid for 3 to 10 days.
3. Long-range forecasts: Valid for a month or an entire season (such as monsoon forecasts).
The GKMS project relies primarily on medium-range weather forecasting.
The IMD currently issues quantitative district-level weather forecasts twice a week (every Tuesday and Friday) with a lead time of 5 days in advance.
The forecast includes key meteorological parameters such as rainfall, maximum and minimum temperatures, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and cloud cover.
Using this 5-day advance forecast, local Agromet Field Units (AMFUs) prepare and distribute crop-specific advisories to farmers.
Therefore, the forecasts are issued for 5 days in advance. Step 2: Final Answer:
Weather forecasts under the GKMS project are currently issued for 5 days in advance.
