Background:

Weather balloons, crucial for upper atmospheric observations, are facing reduced deployment in the United States due to recent budget cuts. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has significantly scaled back balloon launches since March 2025 following a 25% budget reduction. This has raised global concerns among meteorologists over the potential decline in forecast accuracy.

What are Weather Balloons?

• Inventor: Léon Teisserenc de Bort (France), first launched them in 1896; discovered the tropopause and stratosphere.
• Composition: Latex balloons filled with helium or hydrogen.
• Altitude: Can ascend up to 1,15,000 feet (35 km) in approximately 2 hours.
• Instrument Carried: Radiosonde – a small device suspended ~66 feet below the balloon that transmits real-time atmospheric data (temperature, pressure, humidity, wind) via radio signals.
• Technology: Modern radiosondes are lightweight, GPS-enabled, and energy-efficient.

Historical Context:

• Initial upper-air measurements in the 18th century used kites with meteorographs.
• Weather balloons replaced kites due to higher altitude capability and improved data reliability.
• The introduction of radiosondes in the 1930s revolutionized weather forecasting by enabling real-time data transmission.

Importance of Upper Air Observations

• Upper atmosphere (>5,000 feet) plays a vital role in generating surface-level weather conditions like rain, storms, and drought.
• Weather balloons help bridge the data gap between surface stations and satellites by offering vertical atmospheric profiles.
• Twice-daily launches at 0000 UTC and 1200 UTC (~5:30 AM and 5:30 PM IST) are globally coordinated at over 900 stations, including 56 in India.

India’s Scenario

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) conducts routine balloon launches for weather forecasting.
• The National Balloon Facility (NBF) in Hyderabad, jointly managed by ISRO and TIFR, supports high-altitude atmospheric research.

Impact of Reduced Launches

• NOAA’s scaling down has sparked fears of reduced forecast accuracy globally.
• A similar move by Russia in 2015 led to a measurable decline in forecast quality across Europe, highlighting the critical role radiosondes play.
• NOAA plans to replace some balloon data with AI-powered alternatives developed by private firms to reduce costs.

Why Weather Balloons Still Matter in the Satellite Era

• Satellites provide large-scale imagery but lack the granularity of vertical atmospheric data.
• Weather balloons offer crucial insights into lower- and mid-atmospheric layers where storms and climate dynamics form.
• Radiosonde data is essential for calibrating satellite measurements, ensuring reliability in climate modeling and forecasting systems.