World Meteorological Organization
Working together in weather, climate and water
WMO OMM
Mobile Weather Alert
Community weather information via mobile technology
Uganda Pilot
Tom Butcher and Mary Power
Working Group on Nowcasting Research
Wednseday 09 February 2011
WMO; RMO DRA
www.wmo.int
Outline
1. Project overview
2. Project Structure:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
3.
4.
5.
6.
Integrated observations
Severe weather forecasting
Communicating weather info
Stakeholder engagement
Socio-economic benefits
Key Outcomes
Benefits
Next steps
Summary and Questions
2
Mobile Weather Alert: Community weather information via mobile technology
2
Project Overview
Objective:
Utilise mobile phone
technology to develop a
sustainable warning service
that reduces the vulnerability
of communities in the Lake
Victoria Region to weather
hazards.
3
Mobile Weather Alert: Community weather information via mobile technology
Project Overview
Project Partners:
MINISTRY OF WATER, LANDS AND
ENVIRONMENT,
DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY,
P.O. BOX 7025,
KAMPALA
UGANDA
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Mobile Weather Alert: Community weather information via mobile technology
Project Structure
(1)
Integrated
Observations
(2)
Severe Weather
Forecasting
(3)
Communication
via mobile phone
(4)
Stakeholder
Engagement
(5) Socio-economic benefits analysis
5
Mobile Weather Alert: Community weather information via mobile technology
Key Outcomes
(1)
Integrated
Observations
(2)
Severe Weather
Forecasting
(3)
Communication
via mobile phone
(4)
Stakeholder
Engagement
(5) Socio-economic benefits analysis
•
All operational Automatic Weather Stations (AWSs) in Uganda integrated into
Observation Data Management Systems located at National Forecast Centre
in Entebbe.
•
Quality of data collected by AWSs located at mobile phone mast sites is
evaluated through a systematic and scientific (peer reviewed) data trial.
•
Observations of Lake Victoria surface temperature integrated onto WMO GTS
and data available for weather forecast models.
•
Possibility of further AWSs installed at suitable locations selected and
managed by NMHS.
Mobile Weather Alert: Community weather information via mobile technology
6
Key Outcomes
(1)
Integrated
Observations
(2)
Severe Weather
Forecasting
(3)
Communication
via mobile phone
(4)
Stakeholder
Engagement
(5) Socio-economic benefits analysis
•
Drawing upon Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project and other
initiatives, clearly defined processes for the delivery of pilot warnings and
forecasts established and implemented.
7
Mobile Weather Alert: Community weather information via mobile technology
Key Outcomes
(1)
Integrated
Observations
(2)
Severe Weather
Forecasting
(3)
Communication
via mobile phone
(4)
Stakeholder
Engagement
(5) Socio-economic benefits analysis
•
Accurate, timely and reliable weather forecasts and warnings are routinely
disseminated to pilot communities of fishermen, in Uganda, for the duration of
the trial.
•
Seasonal and other weather information provided via Uganda Department of
Meteorology website and disseminated via mobile WEB, or WAP, for the
duration of the pilot for the chosen agricultural communities.
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Mobile Weather Alert: Community weather information via mobile technology
Key Outcomes
(1)
Integrated
Observations
(2)
Severe Weather
Forecasting
(3)
Communication
via mobile phone
(4)
Stakeholder
Engagement
(5) Socio-economic benefits analysis
•
Active and relevant community relationships established with the pilot
communities of:
• Fishermen on Lake Victoria
• Farmers in Lake Victoria region
•
Project management process established to enable successful project
implementation and evaluation.
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Mobile Weather Alert: Community weather information via mobile technology
Key Outcomes
(1)
Integrated
Observations
(2)
Severe Weather
Forecasting
(3)
Communication
via mobile phone
(4)
Stakeholder
Engagement
(5) Socio-economic benefits analysis
•
Verification study completed on the accuracy of available forecast products and
the impact of the warnings. (This will be conducted in synergy with SWFDP for
East Africa).
•
Benefits analysis completed and case studies published.
•
Business model developed for the wider roll-out of programme across SubSaharan Africa (and beyond) is agreed and communicated
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Mobile Weather Alert: Community weather information via mobile technology
Benefits
The benefits of the proposed project over the next 6-12 months
are as follows:
– Reduction in the frequency of deaths on Lake Victoria.
– Improved capacity amongst pilot communities to respond to
warnings of severe weather.
– Increased capacity to deliver effective warnings.
– Business model for wide-scale rollout.
– Sustainable increase in observations.
Through realisation of the benefits above, the project will
contribute towards poverty reduction and achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals.
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Mobile Weather Alert: Community weather information via mobile technology
Next Steps
• Funding approval for pilot – imminent (some aspects
also covered through World Bank Project).
• Technical development will be completed by Feb
2011.
• UK Met Office procured 2-AWSs through UK VCP to
support trial.
• Currently working on stakeholder engagement
• Pilot to fishermen will run from Feb-Apr 2011.
12
Mobile Weather Alert: Community weather information via mobile technology
Summary
•
•
•
•
Focus on disseminating
forecasts and warnings via
mobile technology.
AWSs installed under WIFA will
be integrated into UDoM
operations.
Any new observations installed
to strategically improve NMHS
operations.
Benefits evaluation and
development of “Business
Model” for wider rollout is a key
outcome of the pilot.
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Mobile Weather Alert: Community weather information via mobile technology
13
WMO Donor Projects in Lake Victoria
Region
Preparedness to
Climate
Variability and
Change, Natural
Disaster
Prevention and
Mitigation, and
Enhanced Food
Security
Improving the technical and
scientific capabilities of the
NMHSs of the respective
countries to provide
weather/climate information,
products and services in
support of key economic
sectors
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
Mozambique,
Namibia,
South Africa,
Tanzania,
Zambia
Finland
Severe weather
forecasting
demonstration
project (Eastern
Africa)
Enhanced use of outputs of
Numerical Weather
Prediction Systems for
improved forecasts and
warnings of hazardous
weather conditions
Burundi,
Ethiopia,
Rwanda,
Kenya,
Tanzania,
Uganda
World
Bank,
WMO
14
WMO Donor Projects in Lake Victoria
Region
Climate
Observations
and Regional
Modelling
Support of
Climate Risk
Management
and
Sustainable
Development
The proposed programme is
intended to help the NMHS in
GHA countries assemble the
necessary climate observations
and to understand and use
regional climate modelling--that
can help GHA countries design
adaptation policies and reduce
climate-associated risks.
Burundi,
Djibouti,
Eritrea,
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
Rwanda,
Somalia,
Sudan,
Uganda,
Tanzania
World
Bank
Regional
Climate
Framework in
Eastern Africa
to support
adaptation to
climate change
Establishment of a Regional
Climate Information Framework
in Eastern Africa to support
adaptation to climate change
with the IGAD Climate Prediction
and Application Centre (ICPAC,
Nairobi, Kenya) is a key element.
Burundi,
Djibouti,
Eritrea,
Ethiopia,
Kenya,
Rwanda,
Somalia,
Sudan,
Uganda,
Tanzania
KOICA
Phase I
completed
Phase II
under
developm
ent
15
WMO Donor Projects in Lake Victoria
Region
PILOT - To utilise mobile
phone technology, including
infrastructure, services and
applications, to develop and
demonstrate a sustainable
warning service that reduces
the vulnerability to weather
hazards of communities in
the Lake Victoria Region.
Uganda,
Tanzania
Ericsson
WB
Norway?
Lake Victoria
Proposes to scale up Uganda
Environmental
Mobile Weather Alert Pilot
Management
including investment in Lake
Project (LVEMP II) Obs
Kenya,
Uganda,
Tanzania
Rwanda,
Burundi
World
Bank
Mobile Weather
Alert
Weather forecasts
and warnings via
mobile
communications
Proposes investment in
NMHS development in
Rwanda and Burundi
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