Source- This post on Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI) has been created based on the article “Environmental hazards in the North-Eastern States” published in PIB on 5 August 2024.
Why in News?
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has recently analyzed precipitation and drought trends using the ‘Standardised Precipitation Index’ (SPI).
About Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI)
1. Purpose: The SPI is used to estimate wet or dry conditions based on precipitation data.
2. Calculation: The calculation of the SPI is based on long-term precipitation records for a particular location, with a long-term period of over 30 years being desirable for accurate calculation.
3. The index is negative for drought conditions and positive for wet conditions. As the dry or wet conditions become more severe, the index values become more negative or positive, respectively.
4. The SPI includes timescales of 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 months.
About India Meteorological Department (IMD)
| Aspects | Description |
| About | The India Meteorological Department was established in 1875 and serves as the National Meteorological Service of India. |
| Nodal Ministry | The IMD operates under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). |
| Headquarters | The headquarters of the India Meteorological Department is located in New Delhi. |
| Regional Centers | There are six Regional Meteorological Centres located in Mumbai, Chennai, New Delhi, Calcutta, Nagpur, and Guwahati, each headed by a Deputy Director General. |
| Mandate | 1. The IMD provides meteorological observations and forecasts to optimize weather-sensitive activities such as agriculture, irrigation, shipping, aviation, and offshore oil exploration. 2. It issues warnings for severe weather events like tropical cyclones, dust storms, heavy rains, snow, cold waves, and heat waves, to protect life and property. 3. The IMD supplies essential meteorological data for agriculture, water resource management, industries, and oil exploration, and promotes research in meteorology and related disciplines. |
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