IIT-Bhubaneswar uses AI to develop weather forecasting tech

Bhubaneswar: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bhubaneswar has developed a hybrid technology integrating the output from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model into a deep learning (DL) model to enhance prediction accuracy particularly with an aim to improve prediction of heavy rainfall events with an adequate lead time, said official sources on Monday.

The study also highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence in improving real-time weather forecasting, particularly for heavy rainfall events in the complex terrains over the Indian region.

The studies were carried out over the complex terrain of Assam (highly vulnerable to severe flooding) during June 2023 and over the state of Odisha where heavy rainfall events are highly dynamic in nature due to the landfall of multiple intense rain bearing monsoon low-pressure systems.

"In Assam, the hybrid model displays prediction accuracy that is nearly double that of traditional ensemble models at a district level with a lead time up to 96 hours, showcasing its remarkable performance. These innovative studies have been carried out using retrospective cases," official sources added.