- Why in news
- On 12 October 2026, IMD dedicated its Cyclone Warning and Marine Weather Services Decision Support System, a WebGIS platform, to the nation at the bi-annual Pre-Cyclone Exercise Meeting for the post-monsoon season.
- What it is
- The Cyclone Warning and Marine Weather Services DSS is an interactive web map platform run by the India Meteorological Department. It puts cyclone tracks, intensity, winds, rainfall, storm surge and river-catchment rainfall forecasts in one place. It is meant to turn forecasts into practical decisions for disaster authorities and the public.
- Platform type
- The DSS is an interactive WebGIS-based platform that shows cyclone and marine weather information in one place.
- Information shown
- It shows cyclone tracks, intensity, winds, rainfall, storm surge and rainfall forecasts for river catchments.
- Pre-Cyclone Exercise Meeting
- IMD has held this meeting twice a year since 2008 to review preparedness and coordinate with user agencies.
- Who chaired
- Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, IMD Director General, chaired the meeting. He is also the 3rd Vice President of the World Meteorological Organisation.
- Parent ministry
- IMD functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Don’t confuse with IMD vs NCMRWF: IMD issues the cyclone warnings. NCMRWF is a separate Ministry of Earth Sciences centre that provides medium-range weather model forecasts.
Don’t confuse with IMD vs NDMA: IMD forecasts and warns. NDMA sets national disaster management policy and guidelines, and NDRF carries out response.
Science and technology: 57 Prelims questions since 2013; most test the concept behind the news, not the news itself. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.
Why it matters
- Puts forecasts into a usable form for district and state disaster managers.
- Supports the push for zero-casualty cyclone management through early warning.
Problems
- Warnings must reach fishers and remote coastal communities in local languages.
- Digital access is uneven, and last-mile action depends on state capacity.
Way forward
- Integrate DSS outputs with state disaster plans and mobile alerts.
- Use user feedback from stakeholders to improve the platform.
Put in your answer
Phailin and Hudhud: IMD predicted Very Severe Cyclonic Storms Phailin (2013) and Hudhud (2014). Both crossed the coast on 12 October, in 2013 and 2014 respectively, and earned recognition for India's early warning.
Inter-agency coordination: The meeting brought together NDMA, NDRF, MHA, the armed forces, the Coast Guard, CWC and coastal states and Union Territories.
- 2022Mains GS1 · Q5Discuss meaning of IMD's colour-coded weather warnings for cyclone-prone areas
- 2024Mains GS1 · Q4Explain sea surface temperature rise and how it affects tropical cyclone formation
- 2014Mains GS1 · Q19Why tropical cyclones are confined to certain sea regions
- 2011Prelims Q76How mangroves function as a safety hedge against coastal calamities
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: New public WebGIS decision support platform on cyclones; useful for disaster preparedness but few facts to test.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.