South African Weather Service

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) is the meteorological service under the South African government's Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. SAWS is a member of the World Meteorological Organization. The agency is similar to the United States' National Weather Service.

Under the South African Weather Service Act (No. 8 of 2001) effective July 15, 2001, SAWS became a public entity.[1]

Contents

Data acquisition

Weather stations

South Africa operates a significant number of weather stations in South Africa as well as stations at Gough Island, Marion Island and Antarctica in cooperation with the South African National Antarctic Program.[2]

Weather radar

Near real-time (~5 minutes delay) weather radar is available for most of the country,[4] even within the Kruger National Park.[5]

Marine weather buoys

Between 30 and 40 drifting weather buoys are deployed annually.[2]

Weather modification

The SAWS, in cooperation with a number of other entities, is actively involved in weather control research under the South African National Precipitation Research and Rainfall Enhancement Programme, specifically with the Bethlehem Precipitation Research Project[6][7]

See also

References

  1. ^ "S A Weather Service Act (8 of 2001)". The Presidency of South Africa. 2001-06-29. http://www.weathersa.co.za/Corporate/SAWSAct8_2001.jsp. Retrieved 2008-12-04. 
  2. ^ a b "Weather Program". South African National Antarctic Program. http://gough.sanap.org.za/weather.html. Retrieved 2008-12-04. 
  3. ^ "Meteorological Station Location Information". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. http://weather.noaa.gov/tg/site.shtml. Retrieved 2008-12-04. 
  4. ^ "Radar Home". South African Weather Service. http://metsys.weathersa.co.za/RadarGeneral.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-04. 
  5. ^ "Radar Station Completed". Siyabona Africa Travel. http://www.krugerpark.co.za/krugerpark-times-4-5-radar-station-24179.html. Retrieved 2008-12-04. 
  6. ^ "The Bethlehem Precipitation Research Project". South African Weather Service. http://metsys.weathersa.co.za/bprp_bg. Retrieved 2008-12-04. 
  7. ^ "South African National Precipitation Research and Rainfall Enhancement Programme (NPRP-SAREP) 1990 - 2000". South African Water Research Commission. http://www.wrc.org.za/archives/news%20archive/2005/imc-NPRP-SAREP%20(nov05).ppt. Retrieved 2008-12-04. 

External links

National Meteorological Organisations
Europe

Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (Austria) · Royal Meteorological Institute (Belgium) · Czech Hydrometeorological Institute  · Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service  · Danish Meteorological Institute  · Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute · Finnish Meteorological Institute · Météo-France · Deutscher Wetterdienst (Germany) · Hellenic National Meteorological Service (Greece)  · Icelandic Meteorological Office  · Met Éireann (Ireland) · Servizio Meteorologico (Italy) · Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre · Instituto de Meteorologia (Portugal) · Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute · Norwegian Meteorological Institute · Administraţia Naţionala de Meteorologie (Romania) · Hydrometeorological Centre of Russia · Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (Spain) · Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute · Meteo Swiss · Turkish State Meteorological Service · Met Office (United Kingdom)
Asia
Americas
Oceania
Africa

Mozambique National Institute of Meteorology · South African Weather Service