Finnish-funded Project Enhances Storm-Forecasting Capacity of Radar Station

The National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting (NCHMF) has launched a Finnish-funded project to improve the accuracy of rainfall measurements and lightning storm forecasts at Pha Din radar station in the northern province of Dien Bien’s Tuan Giao district. According to NCHMF Vice Director Tran Hong Thai, the project is part of efforts to modernize and automate the hydrometeorology sector. It aims to help complete a national project to modernize the forecasting technology and monitoring system to improve natural disaster management in Vietnam. It is also among a series of projects to modernize Vietnam’s hydrometeorology sector funded with non-refundable aid from the Finnish Government that was approved by then Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on July 31, 2014. Panu Partanen from Finnish company Vaisala, the equipment provider of the project, said that the project is expected to be completed in two years. One of the objectives of the project is to upgrade weather radar systems in Vietnam, he said, adding that the firm will help install equipment at five radar station, with Pha Din the first. It will also upgrade three other stations to ensure they are synchronized with the five new ones, helping Vietnam build a comprehensive nationwide radar system. The project will also develop a detection system for lightning storms which can be integrated into radar stations. The system include 18 posts along the country and is scheduled for completion in one year. Within the project’s framework, Vaisala will also hold training courses for the radar stations’ operators. (VOV Mar 6)