IIT Bombay researchers develop AI-powered system to predict rain
The AI-powered forecasting system is based on a model developed by Akshay Sunil, a post doc student at IIT Bombay's Centre for Climate Studies.
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Once launched, the model will issue nowcast warnings with updates every eight minutes, forecasting rain in Mumbai up to 90 minutes in advance. (Express Photo by Ganesh Shirsekar)In what makes for a first-of-its-kind model in the country, a team from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has developed a machine learning-based nowcast forecasting system which will analyse weather radars to predict rainfall at least 90 minutes ahead of rains. Set to be launched next week, the model has been installed at Mumbai’s Regional Meteorological Centre in Colaba.
Once launched, the model will issue nowcast warnings with updates every eight minutes, forecasting rain in Mumbai up to 90 minutes in advance. The data pertaining to the nowcast forecast warnings will be furnished on the website, Mumbaiflood.in.
The AI-powered forecasting system is based on a model developed by Akshay Sunil, a post doc student at IIT Bombay’s Centre for Climate Studies.
According to Professor Subimal Ghosh, head of the department and the Principal Investigator of the project, the model will work by analysing the rainbands and weather systems over the past few hours to forecast the incoming rain patterns. “The idea is to analyse the data from the past few hours pertaining to the rainbands, cloud formation, wind speed and other factors. On the basis of such data provided by the radars, the model will use machine learning to understand the existing systems and analyse them to predict the rain over the next hour. The data for the model is being procured from the IMD radars,” said Prof Ghosh.
With the model installed at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Colaba, the system has already generated positive forecasts in its testing phase.
Funded by HDFC Ergo, the IIT Bombay project is a collaboration between IMD and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The new forecast system is slated to be launched next week, with nowcast warnings set to be made public via the Mumbaiflood.in website portal.
Launched last year, the portal presently provides hyperlocal forecasts for the next 24-48 hours while also furnishing past data for recorded rainfall and water level. Citizens can also report flooding in their area, with details pertaining to location, water levels as well as feedback. Currently, the Centre for Climate Studies at IIT Bombay is also working on developing a flood forecasting mechanism through flood modelling.
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