ICCS develops AI-based system to predict rainfall two hours in advance

The Institute for Climate Change Studies (ICCS), based in Kottayam, has developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform called ‘Eye in the Sky’ ICCS Nowcasting System, designed to deliver real-time rainfall forecasts.

According to an official statement on Tuesday, the system can accurately predict rainfall up to two hours in advance and offers hyper-local insights.

With its high precision, the platform aims at helping communities prepare for sudden and intense downpours. It will also serve as a critical tool for agencies like the Disaster Management Authority, providing timely alerts on heavy rainfall and potential landslides.

A mobile app is being developed to make these updates easily accessible to the public.

The ICCS will showcase this project on August 7 at the Research and Development Summit to be organised by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) in Thiruvananthapuram.

Operating under the KSCSTE, the ICCS conducts research on the impacts of climate change across various sectors in Kerala, including environment, river basins, and coastal regions. The institute is also planning to collaborate with Kannur University to develop a mini-portable weather station, with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to be signed soon, said K. Rajendran, Director, ICCS.