The first meeting of the Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) was held at MOES on 12 June 2012, under the co-chairmanship of Dr Shailesh Nayak, Secretary MoEs and Prof J. Srinivasan, IISc Bangalore.

The members and special invitees attended the SSC meeting: Click Here...

• Remarks by the Secretary
  
  

  At outset, Secretary, MoES welcomed the members and special invitees for the SSC meeting. He remarked that the primary objective of the monsoon mission is to develop an single dynamical forecasting system for catering to the needs of short range to seasonal forecasts. The Government has agreed for the first time, for international collaboration under the monsoon mission and also to provide financial support/funding to international partners. The approved monsoon mission has 3 main parts, extended to seasonal forecasts, short to medium range forecasts ,and various research projects.
  He remarked that IMD has adopted the CFS V2.0 model for experimental dynamical forecasts and he expressed the hope that by the end of the monsoon mission, IMD will completely switch over the dynamical prediction system for generating seasonal forecasts. He further remarked that this is for the first time the Ministry is implementing a mission.

• Remarks by Prof J Srinivasan
  
  

  Prof J.Srinivasan. the co-chair expressed his views on defining the goals of the monsoon mission. He suggested that the present skill of the models and quantitative goals /targets should be identified under the monsoon mission. He further suggested that it is necessary to carry out a detailed diagnostic study on the strength and weakness of the models and identify research problems/issues related to model improvement. After identifying the research problems, we may identify the right experts either in India or abroad and request them to take‘up the specific research problems under the monsoon mission. He suggested that a mechanism should be evolved for better interaction of all the modeling groups working with CPS and UKMO models for exchange of ideas and results and also to know the research progress being done elsewhere. He expressed the view that efforts to improve statistical models for seasonal forecasts may be continued with the help of statistical experts from the Indian Statistical Institutes.