SAWS BY JESSIE TAYLOR
South African Weather Service Fighting climate change through forecasting
L
ast year was among the hottest the globe has experienced. While South Africa did not experience its hottest year (recorded in 2019), temperatures still placed it as the 13th hottest year in South African records. These soaring temperatures are becoming increasingly common as we witness climate change. One of the best tools to allow us to adjust to warmer temperatures and severe weather events lies in weather forecasting. A VITAL TOOL In South Africa, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) is the authority for weather and climate forecasting. The SAWS is mandated to provide meteorological services, including producing weather forecasts, issuing severe weather warnings, and drawing up seasonal outlooks for farmers and the Department of Agriculture.
The SAWS also produces forecasts for the aviation industry and maritime weather forecasting services for the oceans between South Africa and Antarctica. SAWS is a member of the World Meteorological Organization and operates as a Department of Environmental Affairs agency. The organisation runs several research initiatives into climate change alongside its forecasting services. These include ways to downscale the possible effects of climate change and determine its impacts on a local scale.
predicting severe weather events. These extreme weather events are more likely to occur as the effects of climate change worsen. Weather forecasting is a complex process. It relies on observing atmospheric models, including information on temperature, pressure, humidity and wind speed. This information is combined with the data from hundreds of weather stations around the country to create a forecast using the latest computing technology.
Weather forecasting is essential. It's critical for agriculture, offering farmers a guide on when to plant or protect crops and industries such as shipping and aviation.
Yet the atmosphere is so vast and complex that even a tiny change in pressure over the ocean can completely change a forecast. It's almost impossible to have a 100% accuracy rate, although this may gradually change as more technology advancements become available.
But beyond its commercial applications, accurate forecasting can help save lives and reduce property damage by
TEMPERATURES ON THE RISE Thanks to climate change, South Africa has been recording more maximum temperatures and
62 | Public Sector Leaders | April 2022
