The African SWIFT Project: Growing Science Capability to Bring about a Revolution in Weather Prediction

Abstract Africa is poised for a revolution in the quality and relevance of weather predictions, with potential great benefits terms human economic security. This will be driven by recent international progress nowcasting, numerical prediction, theoretical tropical dynamics, forecast communication, but depend on suitable scientific investment being made. The commercial sector has recognized this opportunity new products are made available to African stakeholders. At time, it vital that robust methods used develop evaluate generation forecasts. Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Science Weather Information Forecasting Techniques (SWIFT) project represents an effort advance solutions across fields synoptic short-range severe subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) user engagement, evaluation. paper describes opportunities facing meteorology ways which SWIFT meeting those identifying priority next steps. Delivery maintenance forecasting systems exploiting these requires trained body scientists skills research training, modeling operational communications leadership. By supporting partnerships between academia agencies four partner countries, helping build capacity capability science. A highlight coordination three “Testbeds”—the first their kind Africa—which have been bring evaluation tools, insights, perspectives, pathways into semioperational environment.