Pune: CWPRS Installs Automatic Station for Weather Observation

Pune: The Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), under the National Hydrology Project, has installed an automatic station for weather observation which will help them get accurate information and observations regarding rainfall, temperature, humidity and wind speed.

The automatic station has been installed by a team headed by CWPRS Director Dr Varsha Bhosekar, S D Ranade and Dr Annapurna Patra.

Dr Patra said, "The station was installed before the lockdown was imposed. The station is crucial from a disaster management perspective."

Dr Bhosekar said, "Representatives from different states are being trained through the Weather Observation Station developed under the National Water Mission. This station will be crucial in research work. We also have the plant testing and standardisation facility at this centre."

Why the need for automatic weather observation station?

* Necessary to have testing and standardisation at the plant
* There are some drawbacks in the present structuring of the station
* The operational plant may become dysfunctional any time
* Technical problems may lead to errors in observation
* There is need of automatic, digital and remote-controlled data station

Automatic Center has:

* The weather observation equipment is fitted on a 10-metre height pole
* Anti-lightning system in place especially during monsoon
* Temperature sensor at 2metre height
* Humidity sensor at 2-metre height
* Wind speed and direction sensor at 10-metre height
* Ultrasonic wind speed, direction sensor at 10-metre height
* Rain gauge at 1.5-metre height
* Solar temperature sensor at 3-meter height
* Data logger and simulator

Special features of the automatic station:

* Possible to measure 0.2 mm rainfall too
* Since it is automatic, errors will be easily identified
* Ultrasonic sensor will help with accuracy
* Frequency of data gathering is 1 to 15 minutes
* Data simulation and computer modelling possible
* Observations to be available on mobile and online