Testbed 1: Synoptic & Nowcasting

African SWIFT’s inaugural testbed was the first event of its kind in Africa, bringing together operational forecasters and researchers to forecast African weather patterns in real time. The testbed was conducted in early 2019 from an operational forecasting office in Nairobi at the Kenya Meteorological Department.

Designed to support SWIFT’s programme of research capability-building in the science of weather forecasting, the testbed enabled testing and use of forecasting and evaluation products completely new to the country.

Major successes included the use of real-time satellite-based Nowcasting productions, convection-permitting model ensembles from the UK Met Office, and systematic forecast evaluation. The outcomes captured will be used to steer further research and development of the tools, as well as to provide meteorological case studies and to stimulate new hypotheses for exploration.

Testbed Archives

GCRF African SWIFT Testbed 1 Report

Testbed 1 was conducted in the first part of 2019, from an operational forecasting office at IMTR Nairobi, at the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD). The Testbed was designed to support SWIFT’s programme of research capability-building in the science of weather prediction. New forecasting and evaluation products were tested. The outcomes of the Testbed will be…

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Challenges and solutions to nowcasting for Africa

By Dr Alexander Roberts, National Centre for Atmospheric Research and University of Leeds A new study outlines the challenges in delivering short-term weather warnings in Africa, called nowcasting, and proposes ways solutions can be provided in the coming years. A recent GCRF African SWIFT paper published in the Royal Meteorological Society Journal Weather details approaches…

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The storm chasers making life-saving forecasts

Weather forecasters in Africa are getting access to satellite data that will allow them to track the path and severity of developing storms – and reduce the death toll from extreme weather events. An initiative called African SWIFT has enabled meteorologists to make accurate, hour-by-hour forecasts as severe weather approaches, a technique known as ‘nowcasting’ – very-short-range…

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Inaugural testbed guides future of nowcasting in Africa

African SWIFT’s inaugural testbed was the first event of its kind in Africa, bringing together operational forecasters and researchers to forecast African weather patterns in real time. The testbed was conducted in early 2019 from an operational forecasting office in Nairobi at the Kenya Meteorological Department. Designed to support SWIFT’s programme of research capability-building in…

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Master of Science Students at the University of Rwanda Trained on Nowcasting Tool: NWCSAF

Between 19th August and 4th September 2019 African SWIFT Postdoc Researcher, Bethwel Kipkoech Mutai, was invited to teach the Weather Systems module, as part of the MSc. Atmospheric and Climate Science programme at the College of Science and Technology at the University of Rwanda in Kigali. Through structured regional and international collaborations, the University of…

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Forecast Users’ Forum takes place in Nairobi, Kenya

The African SWIFT Users’ Forum is taking place in Nairobi, Kenya this week, 30 April to 3 May 2019. Participants will join discussions and provide feedback to the teams of operational forecasters and researchers currently taking part in the SWIFT testbed. Hosted by SWIFT partners, the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), and organised in collaboration with…

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African SWIFT tests state of the art weather forecasting methods in tropical Africa

In partnership between UK and African scientists, African SWIFT is testing new state of the art, weather forecasting methods in tropical Africa. These methods have the potential to save lives and mitigate the economic damage caused by severe weather events. During the two weeks, 23 April-6 May, a team of GCRF African SWIFT researchers and…

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First African SWIFT Forecasting Testbed and SWIFT – HyVic Flight Campaign

African SWIFT aims to develop the physical understanding of weather systems over Africa and to actively contribute to improving the forecasting of high impact weather events such as urban flooding or prolonged droughts. African SWIFT Testbed 1a: 24-29 January 2019 This week sees SWIFT partners, Kenyan Meteorological Department (KMD), host the first African SWIFT forecasting testbed. The testbed brings…

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