THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a first, Kerala has begun rolling out artificial intelligence-powered automatic weather stations developed by IIT Ropar to provide hyper-local weather information to farmers, disaster-management agencies and local bodies, with the state targeting completion of a 50-station network by August. All 50 stations are expected to be commissioned across the state before the onset of the northeast monsoon, an official said.
The initiative, implemented jointly by Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) and IIT Ropar under the chief minister’s 100-day programme, will see Annam. AI weather stations installed at schools and other priority locations lacking India Meteorological Department (IMD) coverage and in areas vulnerable to natural disasters.
According to KSDMA, the system will generate real-time weather data at a resolution of around 3km, monitoring parameters including rainfall, temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, solar radiation and soil moisture. The data will be made available through an online portal accessible to schools, panchayats and local authorities.
The hyper-local forecasts are expected to help farmers make informed decisions on irrigation, fertiliser application, sowing and harvesting, reducing crop losses caused by sudden weather changes.
“The project is particularly significant for Kerala, where most farms cover less than one hectare and weather conditions vary sharply between coastal regions and the Western Ghats. Installation has already been completed in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam. Installation has been completed in 24 schools in six districts,” a KSDMA official said. The initiative is aimed at giving farmers’ access to reliable weather warnings.
In Thiruvananthapuram, weather stations have been set up at the Collectorate and three schools in Vithura, Nedumangad and Vellarada, while four schools have been covered in Kollam
“Kerala had earlier implemented a manual weather observation programme through the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, primarily for educational purposes. The new network replaces manual observations with automated, real-time monitoring,” the official said.
The project, which is being implemented in public interest by IIT Ropar, is part of a nationwide initiative, which is being developed with support from the Union ministry of agriculture and in collaboration with multiple states. “They are installing the stations and our role is mainly to facilitate installations, identify schools and provide logistical support,” the official said.