Dedicated weather forecast introduced for Sabarimala pilgrimage season

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) introduced a dedicated localised weather forecast system for Sabarimala, similar to those for the Amarnath and ‘Char Dham’ pilgrimage.
On Thursday, IMD officials announced that its regional centre installed three rain gauges at Sannidhanam, Pamba, and Nilakkal to help issue three-day weather forecasts.
According to IMD Regional Director Neetha K Gopal, these forecasts will soon be presented as ‘nowcasts’, which are the IMD’s real-time weather bulletins.
“This is the first time we are providing localised weather forecasts for Sabarimala, akin to our services for Amarnath and Char Dham yatras,” Gopal said.
The IMD also plans to install temperature gauges in the region to monitor the heat and humidity. The weather department recognised the challenges posed by rising temperatures and high humidity, even during dry spells.
Rain gauges were set up in Sabarimala and surrounding regions, even as the IMD considered setting up Automatic Weather Stations. The IMD staff trained district administration personnel to collect data from the gauges, which would be validated at the IMD centre.
Sources also revealed that plans for a permanent weather monitoring facility in the area were under consideration. However, Gopal emphasised that offering district-wide forecasts would require a “larger network and substantial manpower.”
The IMD director noted that the weather monitoring system is a collaboration between the Pathanamthitta district administration and the IMD.
The initiative follows a request from the Pathanamthitta district administration, which sought real-time weather updates for Sabarimala due to the region’s susceptibility to extreme rainfall.
The path from Pamba to Sannidhanam, featuring small streams and the Pamba River, remains a focus of safety measures. Severe flooding during the 2018 deluge devastated the area, washing away several pilgrim facilitation centres.Currently, the State Disaster Management Authority disseminates the weather updates to the public. And keeping in mind the July landslides in Wayanad, the authorities emphasised on the need for caution in sensitive areas.
Sources said the IMD and the district administration were working towards integrating the weather bulletins into the “Swamy Chatbot” launched by the state government for Sabarimala pilgrims.