Heat Index Launched by IMD
Source : PIB
GS III : Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Overview
- News in Brief
- About Heat Index
- About India Meteorological Department (IMD)
Why in News ?
Union Minister of Earth Sciences informed that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has recently launched the Heat Index on experimental basis.
News in Brief
- The experimental Heat Index has been launched by IMD to provide general guidance for the regions within India.
- The apparent temperature/feel like temperature (considering the impact of humidity along with the temperature) are on the higher side causing discomfort for the people.
- At present, heat index is derived using the heat index equation similar to what is used by National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), USA.
About Heat Index
- Heat index provides information about the impact of humidity on the high temperatures.
Image by Raphaël Jeanneret from Pixabay - Thus provides a feel like temperature for human beings which can be used as an indication for human discomfort.
- It provides guidance towards additional care to be taken by people to reduce discomfort.
- Colour codes used for Experimental Heat Index are as follows:
- Green: Experimental heat Index less than 35 deg C
- Yellow: Experimental heat Index in the range 36-45 deg C
- Orange: Experimental heat Index in the range 46-55 deg C
- Red: Experimental heat Index greater than 55 deg C
- Heat Index is implemented on experimental basis only across the entire country including the State of Andhra Pradesh.
- Heat index for Bhubaneshwar and Ahmedabad under Heat Action Plan is done under project mode by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with local agencies like Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH).
India Meteorological Department (IMD)
- India Meteorological Department was established in 1875.
- It is the National Meteorological Service of the country.
- At present IMD is under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
- It is the principal government agency in all matters relating to meteorology and allied subjects.
- To take meteorological observations and to provide current and forecast meteorological information for optimum operation of weather-sensitive activities like agriculture, irrigation, shipping, aviation, offshore oil explorations, etc.
Functions
- Warn against severe weather phenomena like tropical cyclones, norwesters, duststorms, heavy rains and snow, cold and heat waves, etc.
- Provide meteorological statistics required for agriculture, water resource management, industries, oil exploration and other nation-building activities.
- To conduct and promote research in meteorology and allied disciplines.
Structure
- The Director General of Meteorology is the Head of the India Meteorological Department, with headquarters at New Delhi.
- There are 4 Additional Directors General at New Delhi and 1 at Pune.
- There are 20 Deputy Directors General of whom 10 are at New Delhi.
- For the convenience of administrative and technical control, there are 6 Regional Meteorological Centres, each under a Deputy Director General with headquarters at Mumbai, Chennai, New Delhi, Calcutta, Nagpur and Guwahati.
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