Rapid Fire
Bharat Forecast System
- 27 May 2025
- 2 min read
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is set to adopt the indigenously developed Bharat Forecast System (BFS), India’s first high-resolution weather model capable of forecasting at a 6 km x 6 km spatial resolution.
- Bharat Forecast System (BFS) has been developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, and will be operationalised by IMD.
- BFS significantly improves upon IMD’s existing resolution of 12 km x 12 km, allowing for more accurate detection of localised extreme weather events, such as cloudbursts and flash floods.
- The current limitation of a 144 sq km unit of analysis will be reduced to 36 sq km, enabling better micro-level weather predictions.
- The BFS model is expected to enhance forecasting precision for cyclones, heavy rainfall, and monsoon variability, especially at the district and sub-district levels.
- The BFS has been tested in experimental mode since 2022 and is now being scaled for nationwide operational use with high-performance computing support.
- Currently, IMD uses the Coupled Forecasting System (CFS), developed under the Monsoon Mission and adapted from a US-based model for Indian monsoon forecasting.
- It also operates the Global Forecasting System (GFS), a coupled ocean-atmosphere model, for forecasts ranging from hours to seasonal scales.
| Read more: India Developing Early Warning Systems in Partner Nations |
