Early Lightning Detection System

• 15 Jul 2024

Why in News?

According to the sources, The Uttar Pradesh government plans to establish an early lightning detection and warning system. 

• This system aims to avert casualties caused by lightning strikes in the state, particularly during the monsoon period.

Key Points

• According to an India Meteorological Department (IMD) report Uttar Pradesh ranks among the states with the highest lightning strike casualties in the country.
• On the direction of the chief minister, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), decided to set up a state-of-the-art lightning detection system based on time of arrival (ToA) technology, which is more time and location accurate, across the state.
  • The IMD currently relies on radar-based systems and satellite data to warn about the possibility of lightning strikes in an area but it is not considered a real-time warning.
  • The ToA-based system can successfully detect and warn about the possibility of lightning in a particular area at least 30 minutes in advance.
• The Uttar Pradesh Lightning Alert Management System will be set up in three phases.
  • In the first phase, it will be implemented in 37 districts.
  • It is expected to be set up in 20 and 18 districts respectively in the second and third phases.

Radar (Radio Detection and Ranging)

• It is a device which uses electromagnetic waves in the microwaves region to detect location (range & direction), altitude, intensity and movement of moving and non-moving objects.

India Meteorological Department

• IMD was established in 1875. It is the National Meteorological Service of the country and the principal government agency in all matters relating to meteorology and allied subjects.
  • It works as an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.
• IMD is also one of the six Regional Specialized Meteorological Centres of the World Meteorological Organization.