Union minister of earth sciences Kiren Rijiju took cognizance of TOI’s report and sought to cool down online frenzy over recording of abnormally high temperatures.
Netizens unhappy with the IMD clarification asked how sensors could show above 50 degrees, if it was faulty. On Friday too, AWS Nagpur clocked above 50 degree Celsius.
IMD too posted the same clarification on X and later issued a region-specific press release admitting glitches in its AWS sensors that would be fixed soon.
TOI in its report on May 31, had categorically reported botched readings as the AWS recordings from PDKV Ramdaspeth and Sonegaon showing abnormally high temperatures, upwards of 50 degrees. It was also duly reported that sensors often malfunction in high temperatures and manual readings were more reliable. TOI correspondent had visited the PDKV AWS, with Maharajbagh Zoo on one side and Vanamati on the other, on Thursday. The temperature in the open field seemed to be higher than near the green cover of Maharajbagh Road.
The Nagpur sensors in the middle of the 24 hectares open agriculture field belonging to PDKV at Ramdaspeth, off North Ambazari Road, had recorded a mammoth 56 degree Celsius. The AWS along the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) at Sonegaon too recorded 54 degree Celsius. The AWS in the fields of Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) at Khapri off Wardha Road showed 44 degrees Celsius. The Ramtek AWS showed 44 degree Celsius. The manual readings showed 44 degree.
The Delhi station had created ripples across the country after posting a historic 52.9 degree Celsius, though as per AWS/ARG (automatic rain gauge) networks of IMD, the Mungeshpur data was under scrutiny. Following the Delhi heat scare, which is believed to be India’s highest maximum temperature, regional meteorological officials said the AWS data shouldn’t be referred to for intense heat days as sensors malfunction beyond 38 degrees.
Nagpur district has four AWS stations at Ramtek, CICR Khapri, PDKV Ramdaspeth, and Sonegaon. AWS is fitted with GPS technology and data received on sensors is relayed to Pune data centre. Maharashtra has 58 such stations in comparison to 813 in the rest of India.
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