Be it downpour or a thunderstorm, this weather man has never failed to record it over the past 34 years. 72-year-old MP Vimal Kumar, who wakes up at 6 am, starts his day by checking the rain gauge.
A native of Muttil village in Kerala, Kumar uses a metal funnel accompanying with a calibrated measuring cylinder installed in front of his house, reported the Times of India. He meticulously enters the readings in a record book after taking the daily rainfall measurement.
The oldest entry in Kumar's data book was recorded in 1983 when the annual rainfall measured was 2,328 mm.
The weather man who is believed to predict the climate along with his immense stock of data has become a popular figure among many. Reportedly, from coffee and cardamom cultivators to weather bureau and confectionery giant like Cadbury, visit the weather man to seek consultation.
"I began recording daily rainfall data in 1983 after observing that the yield of coffee is heavily dependent on the timing and quantity of rain which is critical for blossoming and fruit setting. Blossom showers of at least 25 mm, ideally by mid-February, and 'backing showers' of 37 mm at least within 30 days of blossom showers, helps a lot in fruit development and retention of coffee" said Kumar.
He further added, "After years of observation I can now predict the quantity of rain in mm by just watching the precipitation and its duration."
As per Kumar's data record book, the maximum annual rainfall was recorded in 2014 at 2,968.2 mm while a minimum of 1,261.1 mm was recorded in 2016.
His venture has also been appreciated by S Sudevan, the regional director of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). "IMD has four weather monitoring stations in Wayanad. But personal initiatives like this can provide hyper local weather information that can be of use to farmers and others in a specific locality," he said.
He owns a 30-acre of coffee plantation and many rain-dependent ryots in Muttil.
While he is travelling, the dedicated weather man directs his relatives to record the rainfall so that he can update his record book whenever he is back.
