I Vol 2 No.2 e-News Letter of IMS Jan-Mar 2017 IMS Diamond Jubilee Lectures * National Heat Wave Workshop * Annual Monsoon Workshop * WM Day Celebrations * NE Monsoon Workshop * New Chapters : Srinagar and Shimla * Workshop on Extreme Weather Events * News from Chapters * Vayumandal * INTROMET * Announcement for Awards * Obituaries : Shri D.R. Sikka and Dr J.S. Fein -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- World Meteorological Day Celebrations World Meteorological Day 2017 was celebrated by all IMS Chapters by orgasnising talk on Understanding Clouds and facilitating visit of students Weather Observatories and Met Offices Special Lecture on "THE SCIENCE AND POETRY OF CLOUDS” By Professor R.R.Kelkar Former President, Indian Meteorological Society and Former Director General, India Meteorological Department on Thursday the 23rd March,2017 at 1430 hrs Vrishti- Auditorium India Meteorological Department Mausam Bhawan Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi His Lecture started with observation that the word observatory was perhaps a misnomer as most of the meteorological elements such as atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed and wind direction could not be observed but just measured. The only two exceptions are clouds and precipitation. Clouds can be seen to form, grow, move and dissipate, and without clouds there would be no precipitation. Clouds have innumerable shapes and sizes although they can be broadly classified into a small number of groups. Precipitation can take the form of rain or snow but the amount, intensity, timing and place of precipitation have infinite variety. Thunderclouds can be awesome and lightning can be a killer. And yet we know so little about clouds and precipitation. “What is inside a cloud?” “If there is only vapour, it should be invisible!” “If there is water inside, why doesn’t it fall down?” “Why doesn’t every cloud rain?” “What gives clouds their shades of grey?” “Why can’t every cloud have a silver lining?” These are some of the questions that have baffled scientists and common people alike. When we look up to the clouds from the ground we can only see their bases. When a satellite looks down from above it sees only their tops. To find out what lies within a cloud we have to fly through clouds or scan them with a radar or better still, place a radar on board a satellite. All such information has to be integrated to get a three-dimensional view of a cloud and its interior structure. Historically, observations of cloud and precipitation over oceans, mountains and uninhabited regions of the world were sparse. But after the advent of satellites, global data became available and two major initiatives were launched to make use of them. These were the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) established in 1982 and the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) in 1986. Their goal was to extract maximum information about clouds and precipitation, directly and indirectly, from available satellite data. The idea of measuring rainfall from a satellite having a combination of passive sensors and a microwave radar instrument was mooted in the early 1980s, but it became a reality only in 1997 with the launch of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. It has been succeeded by the more ambitious Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM) and the first of its satellites was launched in 2014 to maintain continuity of the data. Clouds and precipitation are a vital element of the earth’s water cycle. They are also an important component of the earth-atmosphere radiation budget. We need to know how the energy and water cycles of the earth operate individually and how they interact. Those of us who live in the land of the monsoon, have to realize that the present climate models are at their weakest with regard to precipitation. As we gain a deeper insight into the process of tropical convection, the closer we will come to our goal of accurate prediction of tropical precipitation. The observation of clouds has not been restricted to the realm of science alone. Poets like Mahakavi Kalidasa and Rabindranath Tagore have had a remarkably deep and accurate knowledge of the processes of clouds and precipitation as evidenced in Meghadootam (4th century AD) and Gitanjali (1912). Chennai Chapter A talk on cloud studies under CAIPEEX programme by Dr. Thara Prabhakan, Scientist-E, ITM was arranged by Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai for the benefits of meteorological professionals and weather enthusiasts on 23 March 2017. WMD-2017 theme was displayed as a special centre-page content of RMC Chennai website during 20-23 March 2017 with a link to WMO-Secretary General’s video message on the theme of WMD-2017. Hyderabad Chapter The World Meteorological Day was celebrated on 23rd of March by Indian Meteorological Society, Hyderabad Chapter in collaboration with Met Center by keeping the office OPEN for the school students, teachers and public from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM to create awareness about Meteorology and the various distinct and unique services being provided by the India Meteorological Department. An exhibition was arranged at the first floor of Radar building displaying various meteorological instruments, balloons, charts etc. An awareness workshop was also organized in the conference hall of MC building for the students from 0900 hrs to 1300 hrs. An inspiring response could be witnessed for the workshop which was attended by nearly 200 students from various schools with a few faculty teachers. Retired IMD officials and IMS members were among the 100 people other than students and teachers who graced the function with their participation. The theme of WMO Day was introduced by Shri. K. H. Rao, Chairman, IMS. Shri.T. R. Pakki, gave a power point presentation on “WEATHER ELEMENTS AND INSTRUMENTS” which was followed by another presentation by Dr. K. Naga Ratna, on “WEATHER ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING”. Shri. S. V. Rao, a retired Meteorologist screened a presentation on “ANTARTICA EXPEDITION”.. Dr. C. B. S Dutt, Deputy Director (Retired) Earth and Climate service area was the invited chief guest for the day who delivered a key note speech on “IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE”, which concluded the post tea session. All the participant Students and their associated teachers were taken to the open place near the Hydrogen gas filling shed to witness the demonstration on release of Pilot Balloon, and Radio Sonde Balloon and then were showed the Surface Observatory, Doppler Weather Radar and the Exhibition of Meteorological Instruments and Weather Charts, Posters etc. Visakhapatnam Chapter Visakhapatnam chapter celebrated WM Day at 10 Schools from urban and rural parts of Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts. It Included Visit of students to Cyclone Warning Cetre Visit of students to Doppler Weather Radar Facility at Kailashgiri Painting Completion Talks by eminent IMS Members in schools Activity I Supported the visit of 90 school children from socially and financially weaker sections of the society to visit Cyclone Warning Centre, IMD VSK and Doppler Weather Radar located at KAILASAGIRI HILL. The schools selected are i) Madhava Vidya Vihara located in scheduled caste colony in Anakapalle area which is 40 km away from Visakhapatnam city ii) Kesava Vidya Vihara which is a free school for poor rural children in Anandapuram Mandal, Visakhapatnam Rural Area and iii) Vijnana Vihara Residential School at Gudilova where children from about ten states of India are studying. Activity II Painting competition for school children on the Theme 'UNDERSTANDING CLOUDS' has been carried out under three categories i.e. Seniors (IX class and above), Juniors (VII and VIII classes) and Sub-Juniors (III class to VI class). About 130 students representing eight schools of Visakhapatnam and Srikakukam Districts of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh have participated in the painting competition. They are Visakha Valley School, Sri Krishna Vidya Mandir, Vijnana Vihara Residential School, Saraswathi Vidya Vihara, Gayatri Vidya Parishad MLBT School from Visakhapatnam and its surrounding rural areas, and Tribal children from Vivekananda Vidya Vihara and Tagore Vidya Vihara, Seethampeta of Srikakulam District as well as Students belonging to Fishermen community of Smt.Potluri Varalakshmi Upper Primary School Activity III: Talks by eminent scientists like Prof. K. P. R. Vithal Murthy, Professor (Retd)., Department of Meteorology and Oceanography, Andhra University, Dr J.M. Naidu who are the Life Member of IMS Visakhapatnam Chapter and Prof. Dr. Rao Tatavarthi, former Head, Centre for Oceanica and Optronics, Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratories (NPOL), Defence Research and Development Organization, Govt. of India, former Director (R&D), Bengaluru Chapter The WM Day Program was conducted in the Auditorium of Department of Geography and Geoinformatics, Bangalore University, Bangalore on 23 rd March 2017. There were 300-students participated in the written test as QUIZ programme on 22 March 2017, and were from different graduate and post graduate courses from several colleges/institutions in and around Bangalore, including the various Departments from Bangalore University. The faculty and members of IMS-B also participated in good numbers. There were 100- participants for the inaugural session. Key Note address was given by Prof I.S. Shivakumara, Dean Faculty of Science, Bangalore University. Dr B. Manikiam delivered