Newly-launched BMD weather app a hit with users

Once known as utterly “unreliable”, the weather forecasts of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) have become much more precise and unswerving over time. The mobile app that it launched recently has gained popularity among the mobile users. The BMD weather app, available on Google Play Store, is connected to automatic weather machines installed at 42 spots across the country. Updates on air temperature, pressure and rain can be obtained instantly through the app. The app also sends alerts on cyclones, earthquakes, cold waves and droughts to users. The Independent recently went to the BMD office in Agargaon to learn how the weather forecasts are made for its latest app.  
Meteorologist Rashed-uz-Zaman, in charge of the forecast centre on the day of our visit, was busy analysing a pile of paperwork, schematic diagrams and outputs from particular software and plotting his observations and analysis on a large forecasting sheet. “We need to send and analyse data every hour and send the results to different places. We in the BMD work 24/7 in three shifts. From 8am–2pm, 2pm–8pm and 8pm–2am. There is hardly any time to rest,” said Rashed-uz-Zaman.
The operational office of the BMD carries out all sorts of weather forecasting, including the daily forecasts. The BMD has a total of 42 weather stations across the country. These are all manual stations which are run through manual observations. Explaining the system of manual observations, Zaman said that there is a number of observers who read weather measuring instruments like thermometers, barometers, anemometers, rain gauges and wind speed gauges in a cyclical manner every three hours.
Data—including temperature, wind pressure, and humidity—is collected with these measuring instruments. These are all synoptic data or surface data. In 24 hours, these data are collected eight times.
The 42 manual stations also observe the times of sunrise and sunset. It also records the maximum and minimum measurements. The data observed and collected from these weather forecasting instruments are sent back to the BMD headquarters in Dhaka.
Zaman said apart from surface data, the BMD also conducts pilot balloon observations. “We have 10 weather observation balloons in 10 of those weather observation stations. From pilot balloons, we get wind speed and directions.”
He said there are three stations from where the BMD gets radio sounding observations (RSO). “We use special balloons with transmitters there. The transmitter receives and cross-matches data through a GPS satellite.”
Explaining the process of data analysis, Zaman said the data received from the RSO balloons include wind speed, geo-potential height and temperature of the higher surface. The first sign of existence of any weather formation is found at the atmospheric height, and then it gradually shifts down to the surface level. That is why the condition at the upper surface is important and all meteorological departments need to profile that, he explained.
“For example, if there was an approaching cyclone, our observation station would first locate it at the upper atmosphere, before it gradually comes down to the surface. If we can’t plot that cyclone at the upper surface, then we can’t provide warnings in time.”
He said the BMD cannot predict the weather and create forecasts just by collecting surface data from their observation centres because weather patterns do not form by conforming to geographical boundaries.
"We have to consider the conditions in the surrounding areas of our neighbouring countries. For accurately measuring the weather and creating forecasts, we need data from India, Myanmar and the Gulf region, and we do that as well."

 

 

Newly-launched BMD weather app a hit with users

Once known as utterly unreliable, the weather forecasts of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) have become much more precise and unswerving over time. The mobile app that it launched recently has gained popularity among the mobile users. The BMD weather app, available on Google Play Store, is connected to automatic weather machines installed at 42 spots across the country. Updates on air temperature, pressure and rain can be obtained instantly through the app. The app also sends alerts on cyclones, earthquakes, cold waves and droughts to users. The Independent recently went to the BMD office in Agargaon to learn how the weather forecasts are made for its latest app. Meteorologist Rashed-uz-Zaman, in charge of the forecast centre on the day of our visit, was busy analysing a pile of paperwork, schematic diagrams and outputs from particular software and plotting his observations and analysis on a large forecasting sheet. We need to send and analyse data every hour and send the results to different places. We in the BMD work 24/7 in three shifts. From 8am2pm, 2pm8pm and 8pm2am. There is hardly any time to rest, said Rashed-uz-Zaman. The operational office of the BMD carries out all sorts of weather forecasting, including the daily forecasts. The BMD has a total of 42 weather stations across the country. These are all manual stations which are run through manual observations. Explaining the system of manual observations, Zaman said that there is a number of observers who read weather measuring instruments like thermometers, barometers, anemometers, rain gauges and wind speed gauges in a cyclical manner every three hours. Dataincluding temperature, wind pressure, and humidityis collected with these measuring instruments. These are all synoptic data or surface data. In 24 hours, these data are collected eight times. The 42 manual stations also observe the times of sunrise and sunset. It also records the maximum and minimum measurements. The data observed and collected from these weather forecasting instruments are sent back to the BMD headquarters in Dhaka. Zaman said apart from surface data, the BMD also conducts pilot balloon observations. We have 10 weather observation balloons in 10 of those weather observation stations. From pilot balloons, we get wind speed and directions. He said there are three stations from where the BMD gets radio sounding observations (RSO). We use special balloons with transmitters there. The transmitter receives and cross-matches data through a GPS satellite. Explaining the process of data analysis, Zaman said the data received from the RSO balloons include wind speed, geo-potential height and temperature of the higher surface. The first sign of existence of any weather formation is found at the atmospheric height, and then it gradually shifts down to the surface level. That is why the condition at the upper surface is important and all meteorological departments need to profile that, he explained. For example, if there was an approaching cyclone, our observation station would first locate it at the upper atmosphere, before it gradually comes down to the surface. If we cant plot that cyclone at the upper surface, then we cant provide warnings in time. He said the BMD cannot predict the weather and create forecasts just by collecting surface data from their observation centres because weather patterns do not form by conforming to geographical boundaries. We have to consider the conditions in the surrounding areas of our neighbouring countries. For accurately measuring the weather and creating forecasts, we need data from India, Myanmar and the Gulf region, and we do that as well.