Weather balloons still outperform satellites for key forecast data

Satellites, radar, supercomputers — but weather forecasting still depends on balloons. Even with advanced technology, the radiosonde attached to hydrogen-filled weather balloons remains one of the most crucial tools for meteorologists. The India Meteorological Department’s Thiruvananthapuram centre has been launching them twice daily, every day, since 1956.

According to Neetha K. Gopal, Director of IMD Thiruvananthapuram, radiosondes are one of the most accurate methods to study the atmosphere. As balloons rise, the instruments collect real-time data on temperature, humidity, and wind at different altitudes. That creates a “vertical profile” of the atmosphere — data satellites and models can’t match in precision.

That profile feeds directly into weather forecasts, cyclone tracking, and monsoon predictions across India.

For 69 years, a simple balloon has done what billion-dollar tech still can’t replace. Sometimes the oldest tools remain the most reliable.