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World's Wettest Town Gets Long-Awaited Official Weather Hub
11 Nov
Summary
- Mawsynram, the world's rainiest settlement, will receive its first permanent IMD observatory.
- Sohra (Cherrapunji) has had a dedicated observatory since 1902 for its rainfall records.
- New observatories will significantly improve real-time weather data accuracy for tourists and locals.
Mawsynram, the settlement renowned for the world's highest average annual rainfall, is set to establish its inaugural permanent India Meteorological Department (IMD) observatory. This significant upgrade aims to replace the current temporary setup located at a PWD office, which has been operational with support from an automatic weather station. While weather observations in Meghalaya commenced in 1902, Mawsynram's official weather monitoring is finally being formalized.
This contrasts with Sohra, also known as Cherrapunji, which has held two World Meteorological Organization records and has featured a dedicated observatory since 1902. Proposals for permanent observation facilities in Mawsynram and Tura were approved last year. The Tura Met office is anticipated to become functional by the next monsoon season.
Once fully operational, these new facilities will enable IMD to issue eight detailed 24-hour observations daily, a substantial increase from the current single daily report. This enhancement is expected to provide more precise, real-time weather data, greatly assisting tourists and improving forecasting for various regions. The IMD is also planning to install Doppler Weather Radars in Shillong and Tura soon.
