Available data and products for Agricultural purpose at the National - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Available data and products for Agricultural purpose at the National Meteorological Agency of Ethiopia

By Melesse Lemma National Meteorological Agency of Ethiopia, email:- mellemma2001@gmail.com, cell phone:- 0921-238812

NSF-PIRE KICKOFF CONFERENCE, JULY 11-12 DELANO HOTEL, BAHIR DAR

Content

• Introduction

– Historical perspectives

• Meteorological data observation systems in

Ethiopia

– Surface Observations, Automatic Observation System, Upper air Observation System, Air port weather monitoring systems, Remote sensing and Air pollution

• Data Acquisition system (real and delayed data)
• Data management system
• Method of dissemination
• Challenges

Historical perspectives

• The first meteorological stations were established in the 19th century by

missionaries and explores

• In 1890 and 1896 weather stations were established at Adamitulu and

Gambella by the Italians.

• During the five years (1936-1941) Italian invasion – 192 stations were

established in Ethiopia

• Since 1951 for the purpose of flight operations 495 aeronautical and

climate stations were established.

• After the establishment of NMSA (1980), the total number of stations have

substantially increased to 1200; but later the number of stations dropped to 548.

• The total number of stations has now rebounded and is more than 1200
• In the world and in our country as well people use different technologies

and instruments to make meteorological observations

Meteorological data observation in Ethiopia

For the purpose of collecting meteorological data NMA has deployed surface (manned and automatic), upper air, satellite, air port (manned and automatic stations)

– Manned Surface Observing Stations

– Synoptic, Indicative, Ordinary and Precipitation station

– Automatic Weather Stations – Upper Air Stations

• Radio sonde and Pilot Balloon

– Satellite Data Receiving Stations – Air port stations – mainly for air navigation

• Sadis and AWOS

– Meteorological Radar – Air pollution station – Lightning detection network - yet to come

AWOS

Air pollution

AWS Radar

Satellite UOS

Manned stns

Manned SOS distribution in Ethiopia – as of 2012

Station Type No.

Synoptic/GTS 18 Indicative 172 Ordinary 546 Precipitation 418

• Manual observation
• Mostly installed in

places accessible at car

• Sparse over low land

and rural areas

• Maintaining them need

high cost Indicative Synoptic Ordinary Precipitation

Meteorological elements recorded at manned meteorological stations

No. Meteorological Elements Unit of measurements Time /freq. of

• bservation (LST)

Observing station 1 Rainfall millimeters 09 All 2 Maximum Temperature

• C

18 Except pre. 3 Minimum Temperature

• C

09 Except pre. 4 Dry Bulb Temperature

• C

5 observation (06, 09,12,15,18) per day at indicative station and some synoptic stations 8 observation (00,03,06,09,12,1 5,18,21) at some synoptic stations

• Syn. and Ind.

5 Wet bulb Temperature

• C
• Syn. and Ind.

6 Relative Humidity %

• Syn. and Ind.

7 Sun shine duration Hours

• Syn. and Ind.

8 Wind run at 2 meters M/s or knots

• Syn. and Ind.

9 Wind spd and Dir. at 10 meters M/s and degree

• Syn. and Ind.

10 Cloud Amount Oktas

• Syn. and Ind.

11 Soil temp. at 10, 20, 30, 50 and 100 centimeters depth

• C
• Syn. and Ind.

12 Pan Evaporation millimeters

• Syn. and Ind.

13 Pitche Evaporation millimeters

• Syn. and Ind.

Meteorological elements …

No. Meteorological Elements Unit of measureme nts Time/freq. of

• bservation (LST)

Observing station 14 Grass minimum temperature

• C

5 observation (06, 09,12,15,18) per day at and some synoptic stations 8

• bservation

(00,03,06,09,12,1 5,18,21) at some synoptic stations Synoptic 15 Station level pressure mb (hPa) Synoptic 16 QNH (Sea level pressure) mb(hPa) Synoptic 17 Weather ( Present weather, Past weather) In symb ols Synoptic 18 Cloud (Low cloud amount, Type of low cloud, Type of medium cloud, Type of high cloud) Oktas, type Synoptic 19 Height of low cloud Kmts Synoptic 20 Horizontal visibility Kmts Synoptic

AWS distribution in Ethiopia

Station Type

We have two types of AWS Stations that measure only 6 parameter – about 100 in number Stations that measure more than 6 parameters about 47 Automatic observation Started in 2009 with the help

• f WFP

Maintaining them incurs high cost

Entry/Analysis/Storage/Exc hange/Usage Branch Office

Principal Stn Ordinary Stns Precipitation stations

Data Collection Transfer Branch Office Branch Office

Headquarters

Transfer Storage/Analysis/ Exchange/Usage Usage

Users Partner Partner

Users Users

Synoptic stn

Data Flow

CLIDATA Hard copy

• Branch offices manage stations which come directly under their area of responsibility
• The NMA head quarter gets hard copy data by post and softcopy data from MBD through

emails, CD’s or flash disks.

• Data delivery handled both at the NMA HQ and at the branch level. They use the data for
• perational activities. They manage, store and archive data.
• The NMA HQ is responsible for managing all Ethiopia meteorological data.

MDCD

Nairobi AWS, UOS

The NMA Data Management system

Data visualization software - adVantage pro of the ADCON web based system.

Gr Graphical phical view

Processed data and products

• Raw data

– Daily, hourly, 1 minutes data

• Processed data

– Pentad, dekadal, monthly, annual, seasonal and long term means – Merged data

• Bulletins

– Forecast (daily, three daily, ten daily, monthly, seasonal) and climate projections – Agromet advisories (ten daily, monthly, seasonal) – impact assessment, WRSI, moisture index, weather and livestoke insurance – Hydrometeorology

• Monthly, seasonal and annual

– Climate (monthly, seasonal and annual) – Health – monthly malaria suitability analysis

Satellite and raingauge merging

• The problem

– Both satellite and rain gauge measurements carry information about rainfall – How do you combine them to

give the best possible

estimate?

14

Station measurements Satellite Estimate Combined product

s s g g merge

R w R w R  

Web access Visual presentation of the merged products can be accesses on NMA website (www.ethiomet.gov.et). The map room part of the website contains mean maps, dekadal climate monitoring and historical analysis of ENSO years.

• The map room has

– Climate analysis – Climate monitoring – Climate forecast

Map room- The climate and society map room is a collection of maps and other figures that monitor climate and societal conditions at present and in the recent past. The maps and figures can be manipulated and are linked to the

• riginal data. Even if you are primarily interested

in data rather than figures, this is a good place to see which datasets are particularly useful for monitoring current conditions.

Method of dissemination

– Via website, radio, television, newspapers, by fax and post to registered users like ministerial offices and organizations – In some projects like (PAA, IRISH) sending data and forecast to local DA’s and project coordinators. – Farmers need area specific short range forecast, medium and long range climate outlooks for agricultural and climate adaptation and mitigation purpose – NMA can do but it needs lot’s of stations data, further researches and expertise in the area. It needs developing area specific models which takes into account the special features and climate controls of the area.

Challenges

• All who participate in data acquisition, transmission, station establishment &

inspection, play a role in the process of getting quality assured data. There are stations which are not maintained. Malfunctioning instruments are not replaced

• n time. Data quality is a big issue.
• All stations which are supposed to send real time data via radio and telephone do

not send data at all or regularly

• All meteorological information are not well organized in the NMA Archive
• All the historical data are not computerized. We are looking for upcoming projects.
• Failure of Data Base Systems at times
• All the charts are not processed for them to be ready for provision processing is a

necessity.

• Lack of trained manpower and fast advancement of technology
• Network lines between head and branch offices are not functioning properly
• No well organized and documented metadata of stations and instruments
• Data Gaps and length

– Most of the stations started recording in the 1970’s

– Data gaps created due to many reasons

• War outbreak, absence of observers and leaving the organization with our prior notice,

instruments breakdown and slow maintenance services

– Acquiring modern instruments needs high budget and using them requires trained manpower. – Data demand and supply do not agree

Challenges …

• Our satellite section does not have its own RFE, NDVI, FIRE

detection and the like but depends on other products

• Lack of clarity in the Agency’s data policy. Above all, it is very old.

Some data and products do not have price. This time the Agency is trying to address this problem. It has formed a committee which takes the responsibility of developing a new data policy. But it takes longer than expected.

• E-mail data services takes long time due to slow money transfer

through banks. As per our thoughts the problem could be solved if NMA can receive money send from abroad via western union money transfer.

• Absence of cashiers sometimes due to some reasons
• Malfunctioning office materials and equipments do not get fixed on

time.

• Lack of long term, short term training and refreshing courses for the
• employees. New systems come, softwares arise every time but

getting appropriate training is not that easy.

• Incentives are the driving force to get the best out of the workforce.

There is no well established incentive system.