Bhutan is set to enhance its early warning system and improve weather forecasting capabilities with the establishment of an advanced facility by the National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM). The project, funded by the regional Systematic Observations Financing Facility, SOFF Secretariat with an investment of USD 4.5 M or over Nu 378 M, was officially launched on Monday. The facility will be established in Tsirang.
The key equipment includes an international standard automatic weather station and an upper air observation system.
According to the deputy chief of meteorological services of NCHM, the automatic weather station will generate accurate weather data. This data will be shared with the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) which will then use this data to improve weather models for Bhutan.
In the upper air observation system, weather balloons filled with hydrogen called radiosondes will be used to monitor upper air conditions such as temperature and humidity. These balloons will be attached with sensors to read weather data.
These balloons, capable of ascending up to 30 kilometres, will be launched twice a day to collect real time nationwide data, which will be transmitted back to the weather stations to generate forecasts.
“With the establishment of these equipment, firstly we will be able to improve the accuracy of our forecast. We will also be able to provide additional services such as seven-day and ten-day weather forecasts,” said Ugyen Chophel, deputy chief at Meteorological Services Division, NCHM.
He added that this will also help enhance the accuracy of the current three-day weather forecast by around 60 per cent. The officials added that the upper air observation system will have a significant impact on aviation safety.
“Radiosondes are crucial for enhancing aviation safety and efficiency. They provide real-time data on turbulence, icing, cloud heights, wind speed and other meteorological parameters. These data are critical for forecasting weather phenomena at different flight levels which can significantly enhance aviation flight route forecast. It can also help in optimal flight planning and reduce fuel cost,” said Ugyen Lhamo, aviation meteorologist at Paro International Airport.
“For a better weather forecast beyond three days, we need data from across the globe. So by strengthening Bhutan’s capability to generate international exchange data, we ensure and contribute to better weather forecasts in Bhutan, and across the globe,” said Markus Repnik, director at Systematic Observations Financing Facility Secretariat.
A regional workshop to discuss the implementation of the project was held in Thimphu for three days which ended today. Officials from the World Meteorological Organisation, the SOFF secretariat, as well as representatives from Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan attended the workshop.
The project is estimated to be completed in five years. It will be established at Damphu in Tsirang due to the district being centrally located and technically feasible.
Namgay Dema
Edited by Kipchu
