PHOTOS: IITM Pune Expands Disdrometer Network With First Installation In Himalayan Region

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, has taken a pioneering step in enhancing India's weather monitoring capabilities by installing a state-of-the-art disdrometer at the Kangra Airport campus in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), IITM wrote, "This marks the first-ever installation of such an advanced instrument in the Himalayan region, underscoring IITM's commitment to improving meteorological research across India's diverse terrains. Dharamshala, nestled in the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh, is a serene and picturesque town that offers a perfect blend of natural beauty, spiritual tranquillity, and rich cultural heritage. It is also considered the highest rainfall station in Himachal Pradesh, with an annual average rainfall of approximately 3,000 mm, making it an ideal location for analyzing winter rainfall due to western disturbances over the orographic region of the Himalayas."

The installation was inaugurated by Kangra Airport Director Dhirender Singh, in the presence of IITM officials Dr Kaustav Chakravarty and Harikrishna Devisetty, as well as IMD official Vipan Sharma.

"This initiative is part of IITM's larger vision of establishing a nationwide disdrometer network to study precipitation microphysics across varying climatic regions," the post added.

A disdrometer is a device installed at a stationary ground station that measures the properties of different types of hydrometeors (precipitation), such as raindrops, snowflakes and hail.