WIGOS related matters9-11 September, Thimphu, Bhutan

Saraju K. BaidyaDeputy Director General, Department of Hydrology and

Meteorology (DHM)Email address (sarajubaidya@yahoo.com)

Regional Workshop on Implementation of Weather and Climate-related Services in the

Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Asia

Nepal Presentation

Nepal: Nepal: LocationLocation

26º 22' N - 30º 27' N Lat. 80º 4'E - 88º 12'E Long.

0 200 400100 Kilometers

India

China

Iran Pakistan

Myanmar

Thailand

Afghanistan

Laos

Nepal

Cambodia

Bangladesh

Oman

Bhutan

Sri Lanka

Turkmenistan

Malaysia

0 130 26065 Kilometers

Area: 147,181 km2 Length: ~850 km EWWidth: ~160 km NSAltitude:~ 60-8848 m

• Land locked country• Between china and India• Population is around 30 million

Physiographic Regions

A wide range of climatic conditions from subtropical in the southern plain area to polar and arctic in the high Himalayas are found in this country

Cross-section of Nepal ’s topography

Physiographic DivisionTerai RegionSiwalik RegionMahabharat RegionHigh Mountain RegionHigher Himalayas Region

0 120 24060 Kilometers

NEPALNEPALPHISIOGRAPHIC DIVISIONPHISIOGRAPHIC DIVISION

22283559137285490428271671015 0100200300400500600JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec Normal rainfall (mm)Month

3.512.579.84.2 0102030405060708090WinterPremonsoonMonsoonPostmonsoon% of Normal rainfallSeason

Normal rainfall

Extreme rainfall distribution25 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 mm

-500

-250 0

250

500

1 000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4 000

Normal monsoon rainfall

Aug

-14

Dad

eldh

ura

Dip

ayal

Dha

ngad

hi

Surk

het

Nep

algu

nj

Jum

la

Dan

g

Pokh

ara

Bha

iraha

wa

Sim

ara

Kat

hman

du

Okh

aldh

unga

Tapl

ejun

g

Dha

nkut

a

Bira

tnag

ar

Jana

kpur

1 0.1 0.0 0.0 tr 2.2 0.6 0.7 16.7 0.0 0.0 8.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 2.4 0.02 tr 0.0 12.2 27.3 0.6 7.8 1.4 10.2 0.0 0.0 2.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.03 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.6 20.6 1.8 80.6 19.7 74.0 7.6 9.5 12.4 1.8 0.0 0.0 0.04 26.4 0.5 46.9 22.5 80.4 15.2 12.0 81.0 43.0 26.0 8.8 19.2 34.0 0.0 0.0 0.05 18.4 1.4 0.8 0.2 0.0 9.2 2.2 tr tr 0.0 9.5 0.2 6.4 tr tr 0.06 0.0 2.8 0.0 tr 2.3 tr 1.8 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 13.5 2.37 1.1 0.8 4.2 18.6 0.5 0.4 1.6 3.3 tr 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 tr 5.08 1.9 0.0 12.4 1.3 2.0 8.6 1.4 15.8 3.0 5.6 26.0 36.3 0.5 0.0 tr 51.09 tr 0.0 1.7 1.1 2.0 5.6 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.2 3.0 1.0 27.5 0.0 0.0 1.210 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.5 3.8 26.5 2.9 32.7 20.0 17.0 17.0 6.9 0.0 0.0 tr11 0.8 0.0 4.8 51.4 0.6 5.4 0.1 tr 4.7 0.0 tr tr 0.0 2.7 7.7 0.012 0.8 0.0 2.0 tr 54.3 0.0 9.2 68.9 0.0 0.0 7.0 0.0 4.9 0.0 18.2 0.013 0.0 0.0 54.8 0.3 10.0 4.2 8.8 197.9 11.0 14.0 48.8 48.0 17.0 17.0 0.7 96.814 0.4 11.4 74.4 151.4 112.2 7.0 16.4 92.8 58.6 65.5 15.2 95.2 22.8 60.0 133.5 88.315 0.7 53.3 104.6 423.1 184.4 94.2 298.4 80.8 82.0 87.4 30.0 3.0 27.0 26.3 11.7 80.716 56.4 27.1 59.5 18.3 6.8 6.7 10.0 0.1 8.0 1.6 19.1 4.2 8.1 3.7 31.1 0.017 10.9 0.0 4.8 11.9 10.2 0.2 4.5 28.0 tr 0.0 0.0 4.4 tr 10.7 49.7 9.418 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.5 14.2 0.5 73.6 37.4 1.9 22.7 6.7 0.0 0.5 8.819 0.0 0.0 0.0 18.7 tr 0.5 0.1 0.0 0.4 0.0 1.2 14.8 1.3 0.2 22.2 81.620 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 218.3 11.2 2.6 2.0 0.5 15.5 3.4 10.5 18.82122232425262728293031

Total 119.9 97.3 383.4 748.7 497.6 171.7 490.9 838.3 403.2 268.9 209.6 279.0 180.4 124.1 301.7 443.9Normal 315.9 225.8 520.6 422.6 353.8 174.3 421.7 866.3 395.5 439.2 330.8 403.4 408.1 180.1 378.3 339.4%of RR 38.0 43.1 73.6 177.2 140.6 98.5 116.4 96.8 102.0 61.2 63.4 69.2 44.2 68.9 79.7 130.8Ext RR 56.4 53.3 104.6 423.1 184.4 94.2 298.4 218.3 82.0 87.4 48.8 95.2 34.0 60.0 133.5 96.8Ext RR 226.6 245.7 269.4 375.9 310.0 206.8 195.0 357.0 266.5 300.3 177.0 170.4 143.1 265.0 405.0 339.5

Jun-

13

Dad

eldh

ura

Dip

ayal

Dha

ngad

hi

Surk

het

Nep

algu

nj

17 104.4 67.8 92.6 60.1 71.418 167.7 186.3 93.6 98.7 42.0

Total 272.1 254.1 186.2 158.8 113.4Normal 171.6 161.3 252.4 252.3 199.4

Rainfall on June 17 and 18, 2013

Stations where new highest maximum temperature was recorded in January 2009.

Stations where new highest maximum temperature was recorded in 2010

Station Name MonthHighest

maximum temperature (°C)

Dhankuta 30.5 30.1 2004Kathmandu 33.0 31.6 1992Okhaldhunga 28.8 28.0 2001

Dhankuta June 31.6 31.2 2009

Simara July 38.8 38.5 2009

Kathmandu 32.6 32.5 2008Surkhet 34.5 34.2 2008

Previous higest maximum temperture

and year (°C)

March

August

Record breaking temperature in 2011 contd..

-3 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1.0

SPI in 2006 drought

SPI in 2008 drought

Winter droughts becoming more frequent

-2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0

-3 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5

SPI in 2009 drought

summer days (the number of summer days TMAX > 25êC )

tropical nights(the number of summer nights TMIN > 20êC )

Blue color: decreasingRed color: increasing

Consecutive dry days Maximum number of consecutive days with Rainfall<1mm

Blue color: decreasingRed color: increasing

Director General

Climate DivisionDeputy Director General

Climate Network Division

Deputy Director General

Hydrology DivisionDeputy Director General

Weather Forecasting Division

Deputy Director General

Government of NepalMinistry of Science, Technology and Environment

Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM)

Organization Structure

Professional Staff : 60Technicians :143Administrative Staff :30

Total Staff :233Observers over 500

River Network Section

Technical Relations and Facilitation

Section

Hydrological Data

Management Section

Flood Forecasting

Section

Snow, Water Quality and Environment

Section

3 River basins

Hydrology DivisionDeputy Director General

Meteorological Data Management SectionClimate

Section

Agromet Section

Instrument

Section

Climate DivisionDeputy Director General

Organization Structure

Aviation Weather Section

Weather Section

Communication Section

Weather Forecasting DivisionDeputy Director General

3 Regional OfficesPlanning and Network Section

Meteorological Network DivisionDeputy Director General

Central Development 3 Regional Field Offices

13 Field Offices

No parallel organization relevant to Met Services.

Organization Structure

DHM history

• Hydrological and Meteorological activities were started in an organized manner in 1962

• Establishment of National Meteorological Service in 1966

• Member of WMO in 1st September 1966

• Weather Forecasting started in 1968

• DHM has been upgraded to department status in 1988

DHM

• Government Organization

• Has mandate from the government to monitor

all hydrological and meteorological

activities in Nepal

• Annual total Budget is around 0.15 million

dollar

4

12

9

7

21

72

173

(282)

Major Data gap region

and the high Himalayas

Data Availability

050

100150

200250300

19401945

19501955

19601965

19701975

19801985

19901995

20002005

Year

No. o

f Stat

ions

Precipitation

Temperature

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Number of stations established by year

Meteorological Stations Details

Station TypeNumbers

Parameters observed

Obs. Frequency

Time of Obs. Remarks

Precipitation 173

P Once 03 UTC Climate

72T, P, R.H. Twice 03, 12

UTC

Agro-meteorological

21

T, P, R.H., E, S, Ts, Ws

Twice 03, 12 UTC

Synoptic 9

T, P, R.H., S, Ws, Wd, C, V, PW, Pr

Three hourly 00 to 12 UTC only

Aeronautical (aero-synop)

7

T, P, R.H., S, Ws, Wd, C, V, PW, Pr

Hourly 0 to 12 UTC only

only Kathmandu airport 00-23 UTCDetails: P= Precipitation, T= Air Temperature, R.H.= Relative Humidity, E=

Evaporation, S= Sunshine Hour, Ts= Soil Temperature, Ws= Wind Speed, C= Cloud Type and Height, V= Visibility, PW= Present Weather/Past Weather, Pr= Atmospheric Pressure

Automatic Surface Observation systems1. Automatic weather stations near real time data

16 stations

( Air temp, R.H. , Precipitation, atm. Pressure, wind speed and direction, solar radiation)

(Meteorological and Flood Network)

2. Automatic stations near real time data (Flood Network) 7 stations

(air temp, R.H. Rainfall)

3. Automatic rainfall stations near real time (Flood Network) 51 stations

4. Automatic real time river gauge stations (Flood Network) 33 stationsData Transmission via :

Dual CDMA and GSM/GPRS for most of the stations

only GPRS in some stationsCDMA, GSM/GPRS and Iridium for flood forecasting

stationsPower Supply: Battery Back up with Solar PanelData Transmission and Observation frequency:

From most of the stations within 15 minutes but for flood forecasting in every 5 minutes

Upper-air and remote sensing stations

Radiosonde/pilot-balloon stations - NA Radar stations - NA Others (wind profilers, lightning detection systems, etc) - NA

Network of Observations

• GAW stations - NA

• Hydrological Stations -154

• Marine observing components – NA

• RBCN – 2

• RBSN – 15

• Upper air stations - NA

154

(68)

www.hydrology.gov.np

Under Flood Forecasting Section as a part of near real time flood EWS

Network of Observations outside Met Services

(current status)

Some of the organizations are establishing their own stations. But they do not share their data with DHM (hydropower, NGOs etc.).

Some organizations however have MOU with DHM and their data is shared (ICIMOD, Practical action etc.)

• WIS focal point – not decided

• Nepal has been registered to GISC Beijing and implementation has not been initiated due to lack of proper knowledge and proper training of the staffs.

• Communication systems at national/international levels

• Tele-terminal using GSM/CDMA technology for local data collection.

• ADSL internet connection has been installed in some stations and will expand to all synoptic and aeronautical stations by this year.

Data collection, représentation, exchange,

and management

WIS contd..

For International Exchange

•GTS link- TCP/IP connection with New Delhi

•Internet connection with 3MB speed

•Limited data availability from New Delhi. (For instance, upper air data receiving only from limited number of stations )

–Migration to TDCF (Still relying on TAC messages)

•Still using TAC for observation and coding procedure

•Data transmission/reception in BUFR

•Visualisation of data in TAC

Data applications & examples

• observational data utilization in real time disaster monitoring ( Realtime data display in www.hydrology.gov.np and weather data based on SYNOP in www.mfd.gov.np

• data assimilation in NWP model No

• data utilization in climate monitoring Yes

• data utilization in met services (for info) Yes, data book publication, weekly, monthly, seasonal and annual reports

• data utilization in economic sectors Aviation, Agiculture, Hydropower

hydrology.gov.np

hydrology.gov.np

Case of CBEWS at West Rapti in Banke

CBEWS established in 2008

Highest flood in 2012

Six times flood in 2013 monsoon

Climate Services

Climate Services contd …

Climate Services contd …

Climate Portal

dhm.gov.np/dpc

• Organize Monsoon Forum just before the Monsoon season and provide the seasonal monsoon rainfall forecast for the stakeholders and users.

Annual Weather Report

DHM’s strengths

• Young dynamic staffs mostly with Master’s degree

• New database system that can handle the real time data from AWS’s and can process them in near real time

• PPCR-BRCH (Pilot Program on Climate Resilience-

Building Resilience to Climate Related Hazards) project to strengthen and modernize DHM

DHM’s weaknesses and challenges

• Lack of infrastructure (calibration lab, workstations, servers, power backup, fast communication etc.)

• Lack of manpower (In many sections only one staff is working)

• Lack of capacity building (proper trainings)

• Brain drain

• Absence of some basic stations (upper air, radar, wind profilers, lightening detectors etc)

• staffs not trained in WIS, PWS, GFCS etc.

• Convince the Ministry of Finance on the importance of hydro-meteorological services.

PPCR Project: Building Resilience to Climate Related Hazards (BRCH)

Main Objectives•Increase government capacity to mitigate Climate-related hazards by improving the accuracy and timeliness of weather and flood forecasts. •Early Warnings for climate vulnerable communities.•Developing agricultural management information system services to help farmers to mitigate climate-related production risks.

To achieve the Objectives, the Project is

divided into 4 componentsBuilding Resilience to Climate Related

Hazards (BRCH)Component A Institutional Strengthening, Capacity Building and Implementation Support of DHM ($5.1 m)

Department of Hydrology and Meteorology

Component B

Modernization of the Observation Networks

and Forecasting ($16.45

m)

Component C Enhancement of the Service Delivery System of DHM ($3.45 m)

Component D Pilot DHM climate information for users in agriculture Management Information System.

($6.00 m)Ministry of Agriculture Developme

nt

Future plan

Sustainability of PPCR- BRCH Modernization project of DHM

Recommendations

• Need of hydro-met policy, rules and regulations.

• Proper PWS and GFCS along with NFCS.

• NWP system

• Climate modelling and downscaling

• Research section

• Regular training programs

• Sufficient budget

• Business model

• Collaboration with other NMHSs and Regional Hubs

• Proper collaboration with related organizations (such as Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry

of Health, Ministry of Tourism etc)

Recommendations contd..