New Delhi, Dec 29: A meteorological centre was inaugurated in the Union Territory of Ladakh on Tuesday which would provide localised weather forecasts thus strengthening weather-related early warning system for the region.
At 3,500 metres, this meteorological centre is the highest such facility in India, Union Earth Sciences Minister Harsh Vardhan said at the inauguration of the facility.
He said it will provide short range (three days,) medium range (12 days) and long range (one month) forecast for the two districts — Leh and Kargil — of the Union Territory.
The region is unique in terms of weather, climate, culture, topography with extreme temperatures, ranging from minus 40 degrees Celsius in Drass to scanty average precipitation of 10 centimetres annually, which makes the region a distinct cold desert, he said.
Ladakh also experiences various kinds of extreme weather events like cloud bursts, flash floods, glacial lake outbursts, avalanches and drought.
Ladakh has four Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), two each in Leh and Kargil, of which one is at Drass, the coldest place in India. (PTI)
