Status and Plans for Operational Tropical Cyclone Forecasting and Warning Systems in the North Indian Ocean Region - Monitoring and Prediction of Tropical Cyclones in the Indian Ocean and Climate Change - page 150

4. Current Status of Monitoring and Forecasting
The standard operation procedure (SOP) followed in IMD for monitoring and
prediction of the TC over the NIO has been discussed in detail in the cyclone
manual published by IMD. It necessarily deals with determination of location
and intensity along with other characteristics of the TC like associated sustained
maximum wind, estimated central pressure, pressure drop at the centre, shape
and size, radius of outermost closed isobar etc.
4.1 Observational Systems for Cyclone Monitoring
Observational network for TC forecasting requires continuous monitoring of
the horizontal and vertical structure of the atmosphere. Surface and upper air
observations from various oceanic and land platforms are the basic data required
by a TC forecaster. The latest technological advances like satellites, radar and
computers provide invaluable support to the TC warning system,
complementing the conventional observing system. The monitoring of location
and intensity of the system is mainly based on (a) synoptic, (b) satellite and (c)
radar observations.
The types of observations relevant to storm warning are:
A. Surface observations from:
(i) Land synoptic stations
(ii) Ships
(iii) Buoys
(iv) Tide gauges
(v) Reports from aviation meteorological offices
(vi) Automatic Weather Stations (AWSs)
B. Upper air observations from:
(i) Pilot balloon stations
(ii) Radiosonde/Radiowind stations
(iii) Wind profiler stations
C. Radar observations
D. Satellite observations
E. Aircraft observations
At present we have conventional observational network, AWS, buoy and
ship observations, cyclone detection radars and satellites for monitoring the
location and intensity of a TC. Data from ocean buoys also provide vital
information. Twenty moored ocean buoys including Meteorological Buoy (MB),
Shallow Water (SW), Deep Sea (DS) and Ocean Thermal (OT) buoys have
been deployed over the Indian Sea, under the National Data Buoy Programme
(NDBP) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. Out of 14
Meteorological buoys 11 are active and three are under maintenance. Ship
observations are also used critically during the cyclonic disturbance period.
The AWSs along the coast and the synoptic observatories provide surface