Jammu, June 17 (IANS). Weather forecasting capabilities have received a significant boost with the commissioning of an Automatic Weather Monitoring Station (AWS) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Wednesday, Meteorological Department officials said.
Officials said the new station, located in the remote Machail area of Kishtwar, is providing real-time meteorological data. This development is expected to strengthen weather forecasting, climate observation and early warning systems in the mountainous region.
The station is particularly important given the rugged topography of Machail and its sensitivity to rapidly changing weather conditions.
The accurate and timely meteorological information is expected to help authorities monitor atmospheric conditions and issue advisories when required.
According to officials, the station will continuously record key weather parameters including temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed and other meteorological indicators, thereby strengthening the forecast network of the region.
Officials said this weather station is a part of broader efforts to strengthen meteorological infrastructure in remote and strategically important areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Although monsoon does not have any significant impact on the weather in Kashmir Valley, but western disturbance plays an important role in affecting the weather there.
A Western Disturbance is an extra-tropical storm originating in the Mediterranean region that brings sudden winter and pre-monsoon rainfall to northwest India and snowfall in the Himalayas.
It is driven by westerly jet streams and provides vital moisture for Rabi crops.
Storm systems develop over the Mediterranean Sea, Caspian Sea and Black Sea when warm air collides with cold European air.
High altitude westerly jet streams drive these low pressure systems eastward. Passing over Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, they pick up moisture from the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea.
Upon reaching the Indian subcontinent, the Himalayas block this system, allowing moisture to rise and condense.
This causes heavy snowfall in the high mountain areas and widespread rainfall in the plains.
Winter rainfall is extremely important for good production of Rabi crops like wheat and mustard.
Snowfall in the Western Himalayas acts as a natural reservoir, maintaining the perennial flow of rivers like the Ganges and Indus during the summer season.
Weather fluctuations cause temperatures to drop, dense fog to form, and provide respite from heat waves, although excessive snowfall can also lead to hailstorms and landslides.
–IANS
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