Similarly, over Bellary, IMD forecast for October 2 was 68 mm, while the actual incidence recorded turned out to be 111 mm. The statistics reveal that a lot of ground needs to be covered before micro-level forecasting is perfected.
The low pressure which developed in the Bay of Bengal during the last week of September was one of such extremities that left weathermen stunned. The low pressure had not even been labelled ‘depression’ but caused unprecedented havoc in 14 districts.
Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) Director V S Prakash, in a chat with reporters on Monday, said while the State has already made a start on micro-forecasting, the development models and alogthrims need to be finalised.
Prakash pointed out that while the IMD had forecast that the year 2003 would be a good monsoon year, the KSNDMC, warned that the State would be facing a drought-like situation. It turned out to be true and the State government had been warned on time to take some precautionary steps. “A lot needs to be done, he said and added that more talent students need to take up meteorology as a career.