Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has already started issuing of the Hot Weather Season Outlooks from the summer season of 2016, i.e. starting from April 2016. It is also proposed to bring out a Cold Weather Outlook for the period from December 2016 to February 2017.
Temperature Outlook is issued for hot and cold weather season temperatures over the country based on predictions using the ocean-atmosphere coupled climate model developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Pune, Ministry of Earth Sciences. Climate Services Division of IMD issues a seasonal outlook prior to the starting of the season, specifying whether temperature of the season as a whole is likely to be above normal (Long term climatological average) or below normal. This would be supplemented by the subsequent weekly updates of extended range forecasts, based on dynamical models on both day maximum and night minimum temperatures. IMD maintains a close watch on the local temperature changes. It issues warnings wherever any places is threatened by cold or very hot weather, to alert members of the public to the danger of low body temperature in cold weather or the risk of heat stroke and sunburn in very hot weather.
IITM, IMD, various state governments, TV channels and Newspapers are involved in this programme. Upon prediction of the heat wave conditions by the IMD, various state governments have a system of giving wide publicity of Dos and Donts through advertisements in TV channels, Newspapers and opening drinking water camps at identified places in rural and urban areas to mitigate the impact of heat waves. The heat action plan is being implemented in cities across central India, since 2016 including Ahmedabad, Surat, Nagpur, Akola, Gondia, Chandrapur, Nanded, Jalgaon, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. The schedule of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme workers is adjusted to avoid exposure to extreme hot weather duration periods. Advisories include precautionary measures to avoid heat stroke include drinking plenty of water, avoiding going out in open heat during 10am 4 pm; wearing light coloured clothes; covering head/ using umbrella while going out; monitoring symptoms of heat stroke etc.
User Interaction workshops are also planned at every State and Regional Meteorological Centres to create awareness of the products and their utility. Such programmes will be conducted with the involvement of targeted users in the heat/cold wave prone regions of the country.
This information was given by Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Y.S.Chowdhary in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
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