Severe Weather Forecasting Programme (SWFP)

The Severe Weather Forecasting Programme (SWFP) helps countries improve their ability to predict dangerous weather, such as storms, heavy rain, or strong winds. By making weather forecasts and warnings more accurate and timely, the Programme supports efforts to save lives, protect people’s homes and livelihoods, and reduce damage to infrastructure.

Today, the Programme supports weather services in about 85 developing countries across nine regions. It does this with help from the WMO Integrated Processing and Prediction System (WIPPS) — a global system that brings together advanced weather data and forecast models — and from development partners and donors.

SWFP is also part of the United Nations Early Warnings for All initiative, which aims to make sure everyone in the world is protected by early warning systems by 2027. To support this goal, the Programme is working to include more countries and provide better tools and guidance for national weather services, helping them improve their early warning systems.