Block level weather forecast using direct model output from NWP models during monsoon season in India

Abstract

The forecast for 655 districts and 6500 blocks had been prepared and implemented on 1^st June, 2014. The procedure for getting forecast for the districts  and  blocks in India including altitude corrections is based upon regular (0.25 × 0.25) grid output from the T-574 Model and output from  9 km WRF model. A verification study for rainfall forecast at 0.25 × 0.25 degree grid for Indian Window (0-40° N and 60-100° N) is also conducted, which had indicated that skill of the rainfall forecast is good for all parts of the country except oceanic islands and high terrain regions and one can down scale to any level, down to the blocks, the skill scores will not differ much. A detailed verification study for the skill of the forecast at block level for all the eight weather parameters for which the forecast was issued is conducted. The skill of the rainfall forecast is obtained for categorical forecast and as well as for yes/no forecast. The skill scores for rainfall had indicated that highest value of Hanssen and Kuiper (HK) score is 0.44, Hanssen and Kuiper score for quantitative rainfall (HKQ) is 0.18, Ratio score for yes/no forecast is 90 percent and Hit rate (HR) is 0.83. The detailed verification study for the block level weather forecast for monsoon 2014 is presented in the paper and the skill found is good. The study indicates that model forecast has the potential to be used for the block level forecast after making the quick value additions for which hints are given in the conclusion part.