Training workshops strengthen nowcasting and synoptic meteorology capabilities at RSMC Dakar and DMN Cameroon to improve severe weather guidance products.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) conducted specialized training workshops in West and Central Africa as part of its Severe Weather Forecasting Programme (SWFP). The workshops were designed to support regional forecasting centers in developing and issuing improved severe weather guidance and to prepare them to better support capacity building in their respective countries. SWFP serves as an enabler to the UN Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative.
The workshops were organized under the umbrella of the CREWS Central and West Africa projects, and their respective SWFP components. The workshops were structured in two capacity building sessions dedicated to synoptic meteorology and nowcasting, held in Dakar, Senegal from 10 to 20 June, and in Yaoundé, Cameroon from 30 June to 11 July.
Both training sessions were designed as "training of trainers" workshops, engaging 25 operational forecasters from key regional institutions. Participants came from the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) Dakar, operated under the Agence nationale de l'aviation civile et de la météorologie ( ANACIM ), and the potential Regional Forecast Support Centre (RFSC) Yaoundé, operated under the Direction Nationale de la Météorologie ( DNM ).
The training was led by specialists from Spain's National Meteorological Agency (AEMET) along with two additional experts in operational meteorology. The instructors guided regional forecasters through fundamental and practical knowledge on synoptic conditions and the development of meteorological conditions that occur on mesoscale and local scales over very short periods. The training highlighted the use of multiple products available from global, regional, and national centers, as well as the continuous evaluation of local multivariate conditions as key elements for developing tailored forecasts.
The workshops recognized that climate, weather, and water-related hazards transcend national boundaries, creating a growing need for strong regional collaboration and the adoption of innovative products and information, including satellite-based nowcasting. This understanding has motivated RSMC Dakar to work on improving skills for the development of regional severe weather products made available through SWFP West Africa and SWFP Central Africa. The center is also exploring the inclusion of nowcasting regional guidance for National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs). Meanwhile, the potential RFSC Yaoundé is preparing to provide severe weather forecasting guidance for the Central Africa region in coordination with other RSMCs supporting this area.
Following the workshops, RSMC Dakar and RFSC Yaoundé plan to initiate a new phase of knowledge transfer to countries in their regions through operational forecaster training. This approach is intended to ensure sustainability, scalability, and long-term impact within the SWFP framework. Both centers also agreed to prepare guidelines for NMHS forecasters to facilitate better interpretation of severe weather forecasting guidance products.
The training workshops represent part of the broader effort to strengthen meteorological capabilities across West and Central Africa, supporting the region's ability to provide timely and accurate severe weather warnings to protect lives and property.
