Access to new and more precise meteorological satellite data and using them for early warnings of severe weather events are two of the main topics on the agenda of EUMETSAT’s biennial conference for African weather and climate experts in Cotonou, Benin, this week.
About 150 meteorologists and scientists from throughout Africa will attend the four-day, 16th Africa User Forum, co-organised by EUMETSAT and Meteo Benin, beginning today.
EUMETSAT’s Meteosat satellites are the only Earth observation satellites with a constant view of Africa and the organisation has been sharing data from its fleets with meteorological, hydrological and climate services on the continent for more than three decades.
“The new and more precise data from the first of EUMETSAT’s Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) satellites, launched in late 2022, are now being made available in Africa,” EUMETSAT Director-General Phil Evans said.
“We are supporting the African Union Commission to set up European Union-funded reception stations, called PUMA stations, designed specifically to receive data from MTG satellites, in countries throughout the continent.
“The first PUMA reception stations were recently installed in Nairobi, Kenya, and another has been installed in Cotonou, Benin, to demonstrate its effectiveness to forum participants.
“Access to MTG’s more frequent, high-resolution data, which for the first time will include observations of lightning activity over the continent, will assist meteorologists to more quickly and accurately predict severe weather events, such as storms.
“The aim is to enable the African meteorological community to provide earlier warnings about severe weather, to help protect lives and infrastructure. In this way, we are also supporting the joint African Union and United Nations Multi-hazard Early Warning for All Action Plan for Africa, which aims to make sure that timely and accurate information about natural hazards and impending disasters reaches all segments of African society, particularly the most vulnerable.”
This week’s forum will also involve a high-level meeting on the contribution of satellite data to climate and greenhouse gas monitoring in Africa, supporting the commitment of African countries to the aims of the Paris climate agreement and the global carbon stocktake.
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