Discuss the meaning of colour-coded weather warnings for cyclone-prone areas given by the India Meteorological Department.

Discuss the meaning of colour-coded weather warnings for cyclone-prone areas given by the India Meteorological Department. [10 marks, 2022]

A weather warning is an advanced communication about a possible hazardous event so that people and authorities can take preventive action.

Since technical forecasts may be difficult to understand, the IMD uses colour codes to convert the increasing level of weather risk into an increasing level of preparedness.

Meaning of the colour codes

1. Green—Normal
2. Yellow—Watch
3. Orange—Prepare
4. Red—Act

Green means normal: no severe weather is expected and daily life continues as usual. Yellow means watch: conditions may worsen, so officials and the public should stay alert and follow updated forecasts. Orange means prepare: district administrations ready shelters, relief teams and evacuation plans. Red means act: the hazard is imminent or under way, and protective measures such as evacuation must begin immediately.

Cyclones produce several interconnected hazards—strong winds, intense rainfall, storm surge, flooding and rough seas. Therefore, a simple warning system is necessary for:

1. Public communication.
2. Early evacuation.
3. Protection of livelihoods.
4. Administrative coordination.
5. Reduction of casualties.

India’s coastline is exposed to tropical cyclones that form over the warm waters of the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, mainly in the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon months. Storm surge—the abnormal rise of the sea near the coast as a cyclone approaches—can flood low-lying coastal areas, which is why early evacuation and timely restrictions on fishing carry such weight in cyclone-prone districts.

For example, before cyclones such as Fani and Biparjoy, graded warnings helped authorities evacuate vulnerable coastal populations and restrict fishing and maritime activities.

Important distinction

The colour code does not directly indicate the meteorological category of the cyclone. A cyclone may be classified as cyclonic storm, severe cyclonic storm or very severe cyclonic storm according to wind speed. The colour warning, however, indicates the level of expected impact and the action required in a particular area. Thus, the same cyclone may generate different warning colours in different districts: a district near the expected landfall may sit under a red warning while a district farther along the coast remains under orange or yellow.

To conclude, IMD’s colour-coded system bridges the gap between scientific forecasting and public action.