Severe Weather Events

Tanzania’s ‘forgotten’ cyclones and concerns for the future

Following the rare event of a tropical cyclone making landfall in Tanzania in April, African SWIFT and FCFA scientists unpacked new research recounting the devastating impacts of previous tropical cyclones from 1872 and 1952. Read the short excerpt below, or visit The Conversation to read the full story. A cyclone, known as Jobo, made landfall near Dar … Continue Reading

Is Tanzania ready for tropical cyclone Jobo?

By Hellen E. Msemo Declan L. Finney, Cathryn Birch and John Marsham for GCRF-African SWIFT The current development of the severe tropical storm over the South-Indian Ocean, later classed as severe tropical cyclone Jobo, reminds us of the other rare events where such high-impact storms have made landfall in Tanzania. In April of 1872 and … Continue Reading

The Science Behind Abuja’s Summer Flood

By Dr Kamoru Abiodun Lawal (NiMet) for GCRF-African SWIFT On 25 July 2020 Abuja city, Nigeria’s capital, experienced one of the worst floods in its history. This event was a consequence of build-up of clusters of mesoscale convective systems that started as early as the morning of 22 July 2020, through and up to 25 … Continue Reading

Kenyan Lakes reach record levels

By Jemimah Gacheru (KMD), Chris Kiptum (KMD), David Koros (KMD), Caroline Wainwright (Reading), John Marsham (Leeds) for GCRF-African SWIFT Several lakes in Kenya’s Rift Valley have reached record levels, causing concerns for livelihoods and ecology in the region. Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria, once 20 kilometres apart, are now so close there are fears one could … Continue Reading

SWIFT Team Reports on Cyclone Idai

Report prepared by: From the University of Leeds: Beth Woodhams, Hellen Msemo, Declan Finney, Sam Hardy, Emmanuel Likoya From the Kenya Meteorological Department: David Koros Described by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as one of the ‘worst weather-related disasters to ever hit the southern hemisphere’, Cyclone Idai caused devastation over south eastern Africa during the … Continue Reading