India Meteorological Department (IMD) to Commission X-Band Doppler Weather Radar in Wayanad

Key facts

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) will commission an X-band Doppler weather radar (DWR) in Wayanad, Kerala, by December 2026.
• The radar will be installed at Pulpally, with land provided by Pazhassi Raja College.
• The X-band DWR will provide high-resolution weather surveillance covering a radius of 100 km around Pulpally.
• X-band radars are specifically meant for high-resolution monitoring of local climate events such as cloudbursts, flash floods, and thunderstorms.
• The radar will be operated by IMD's technical and meteorological personnel.
• The IMD stated that the radar will enable more accurate and timely weather forecasts and early warnings for disaster management authorities, district administration, and the public.
• The existing radar network in Kerala includes an S-band DWR at Kochi and a C-band DWR at ISRO Thiruvananthapuram, but gaps remain over hilly regions like Wayanad and Idukki.