Enhancing forecasting capacity in West and Central Africa
A 10-day capacity-building training was held last week to strengthen forecasting capabilities in West and Central Africa.
Weather, climate, and water-related hazards transcend national boundaries, underscoring the importance of strong regional collaboration and sustained capacity development. In this context, a 10-day capacity-building training workshop was held to strengthen forecasting capabilities and regional coordination within the Severe Weather Forecasting Programme (SWFP) in West and Central Africa.
SWFP serves as an enabler to the UN Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative. The core objective of the workshop was to enhance the capacity of the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) in Dakar to develop and issue improved severe weather nowcasting and forecasting guidance products for the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of SWFP participating countries in West and Central Africa.
The workshop brought together operational forecasters from RSMC Dakar and visiting forecasters from the national meteorological service of Cameroon (DMN Cameroon), which is expected to host the potential Regional Forecast Support Centre (RFSC) in Yaoundé for SWFP-Central Africa. The training focused on Synoptic Training on Short- and Medium Range Forecasting and Improving Regional Guidance Products (10 to 14 June 2025) and training on Nowcasting Tools and Products (16 to 20 June 2025), contributing to strengthen severe weather forecasting and early warning services in West and Central Africa.
A key aspect of the workshop was to train the “Trainers”. By equipping operational forecasters from RSMC Dakar and DMN Cameroon with advanced forecasting skills and training methodologies, the initiative aims to serve as a force multiplier. These trained professionals will support the broader dissemination of knowledge and skills within their respective institutions and among other NMHSs in the region. This approach ensures sustainability, scalability, and long-term impact in capacity development under the SWFP framework.
The workshop was organized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) with financial support from the CREWS Central Africa project. WMO expresses sincere appreciation to ANACIM for hosting the training at RSMC Dakar.
More on the Severe Weather Forecasting Programme (SWFP).
