Down to Earth

Incorrect views

- S VENKATARAM­AN, FORMER DIRECTOR, INDIA METEOROLOG­ICAL DEPARTMENT, VIA EMAIL

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.DLODVDQDWK­DQ V FODLP WKDW ZHDWKHU forecasts have failed to reach farmers is incorrect. Farmers are being provided with not only weather forecasts, but also with timely advisories on appropriat­e measures to adopt. These advisories are framed after consultati­ons with crop specialist­s. At present, there are over 20 million farmers availing the P.LVDQ portal ODXQFKHG LQ

Secondly, the suggestion by .DLODVDQDWK­DQ WR DGRSW :HVWHUQ ZHDWKHU models is scientific­ally incorrect. It is well-known that weather systems in low latitudes are affected by the Coriolis force of earth and will not obey models of high latitudes. For example, in the case of hail, for it to form at a lower latitude, say the equator, where there is more heat, the tropical thundersto­rms will have to reach greater heights to become hailbearin­g. This would not be the case if hail has to form in a northerly or southerly latitude nearer to the poles, where there is less heat and so the precipitat­ion freezes easily. Moreover, the percentage dissipatio­n in hail size, which means the decrease in the size of hail stones or their melting will be higher in the tropics because of the longer distance of descent of the hail. However, it is doubtful if India ZLOO HYHU JHW WR WKH VWDJH RI DUWLILFLDO dissipatio­n of hail-bearing clouds by seeding to reduce the hail's destructiv­e impact. Burgundy, a French wineproduc­ing region, is protected by HailNet, where vines are covered by nets to protect them from hail. If hail dissipatio­n by seeding is so easy and assured why do the Burgundian­s not resort to it?

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