IMD Mumbai centre Deputy Director General K.S. Hosalikar on Wednesday sought opinion from people on the usefullness of IMD's 'nowcast warnings'.
Taking to Twitter, Hosalikar wrote: "How much Useful are "Nowcast Warnings" issued by IMD for Severe Weather for next 3, 4 Hours? Like for thunderstorms, Heavy Intense Spells of rain, Possibility of Dust Storms, Hail Storm etc. Please give your feedback here. Thank you."
Nowcast warnings provide alerts and updates on extreme weather conditions such as thunder, hailstorms, etc. The alerts on extreme weather conditions are provided by IMD every three to four hours.
After Hosalikar put out the tweet, many netizens said that the Nowcast warnings are very useful. One user said, "It's very useful Sir. I do share it with all my groups and they appreciate the accuracy and quick update." While another user said, "Yes very accurate and useful."
Here's what netizens had to say:
Meanwhile, Nowcast warnings issued by the IMD have suggested that thunderstorm clouds may cause lightning in next three to four hours in some parts of Maharashtra. "Development of convective echoes seen in parts of Maharashtra, ghat areas, interiors, Konkan, Raigad etc as seen frm latest satellite image & radars of Mumbai, Goa Possibilities of Thunderstorm with lightening in nxt 3,4 Hrs with rains," Hosalikar tweeted.
In its forecast for August last month, the IMD had predicted rainfall of 97 percent of the Long Period Average (LPA) with an error margin of plus or minus nine percent. Rainfall in the range of 96-104 percent of the LPA is considered normal.
This is also one of the rainiest months of August recorded. The August of 1926 saw 33 percent more rainfall than normal, the highest precipitation recorded so far in the month; 1976 recorded 28.4 percent more rainfall than normal, while the August of 1973 recorded 27.8 percent than normal. This year saw 27 percent rainfall.
