PURNEA, Dec. 26 -- One of the oldest observatories of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in the country, located in Purnea, is all set to get an upgraded new look next year, officials said. Once upgraded, it will become the second observatory in Bihar after Patna to be equipped with a Doppler Weather Radar (DWR), capable of issuing highly precise weather warnings up to three hours in advance within a 150-km radius. The upgraded facility is expected to be particularly beneficial for the newly established Purnea Airport. "Once the DWR is installed, we will be able to provide precise weather information such as rainfall intensity and location, storm movement and rotation," said Virendra Kumar Jha, meteorologist and in-charge of the Meteorological Office, Purnea, while speaking to Hindustan Times. "We will also be able to issue early warnings of thunderstorms, lightning and fog more accurately," he added. Jha said the upgraded observatory would play a crucial role in ensuring safe landing and take-off operations at the airports in Purnea and Darbhanga. He further informed that besides the DWR, RS/RW (Radiosonde/Radio Wind) systems and a seismograph are also proposed to be installed to provide data on upper-air weather conditions and seismic activity, respectively. "The upgraded observatory will have the capability to monitor weather conditions up to Siliguri in West Bengal, parts of Nepal, Seemanchal, the Kosi region and even Darbhanga," Jha said. He expressed hope that the upgraded facility would prove immensely helpful for the farming community, enabling farmers to better cope with weather vagaries through accurate forecasts. "Our precise weather predictions will help farmers not only protect their crops in time but also modify their cultivation practices according to weather conditions," he said, adding that the observatory would also benefit researchers engaged in weather-related studies. Jha said the DWR was earlier scheduled to be installed by December 31, but the timeline has now been extended to January 31 next year. "The DWR is being installed at a cost of Rs.57 crore, while boundary walls are being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs.59 lakh," he added. Interestingly, the Meteorological Office, situated beside the Central Jail in Purnea town, was initially a simple observatory established in 1775 on the initiative of the then district magistrate B R Parry, five years after Purnea became a full-fledged district. On January 15, 1875, it was upgraded by the IMD and has since been providing weather-related information. "We celebrated the 150th anniversary of the observatory this year in the same British-era building that is more than 150 years old," Jha said....