Use of Satellite Rainfall Estimates for Improving Climate Services in Africa Tufa Dinku tufa@iri.columbia.edu International Research Institute for Climate and Society The Earth Institute at Columbia University Collaborators: The TAMSAT Group at University of Reading National Meteorology Agency, Ethiopia Tanzanian Meteorological Agency The AGRHYMET Center, Niger EUMETSAT WMO

Outline Problems Proposed Solutions Implementation in Ethiopia Significance and Next Steps

I. Problems Number of weather stations not adequate in most Africa Most stations located in the cities along main roads  Limited data over most of rural Africa Serious gaps in observations (missing data) Quality of available data not very good Limited access and use of the available data

II. Proposed Solutions Improving data availability: Quality control and combine local observations with global products such as satellite proxies and model reanalysis data  Global products help in filling spatial and temporal gaps Station measurements Global Products Combined product Providing online access will not solve all the access problems, but it the first and very significant step Data access done not necessarily mean data use. Thus, further steps need to be taken to ensure use of the data. These include…. The community of practice comprises of specific user group and climate scientists. This will help the climate scientists better understand the needs of the users, while the users will be exposed to what the climate community could offer for their specific sector. The CHWG in Ethiopia is a good example.

II. Proposed Solution Improving access and use: Provide online-access to analysis tools and products Develop products for specific applications Train users to understand, demand, and use climate data Facilitate the formation of community of practice

III. Implementation in Ethiopia

Implementation: Main Components Training of NMA staff Organizing and QC station data Obtaining and processing raw METEOSAT data Calibrating satellite rainfall algorithm Generating climate time series Redesigning NMA’s Web Page Creating Climate Analysis and Applications Map Rooms

Improved Data Availability Combined Gauge-Satellite, 1983-Current (10-daily @ 10km) The first figure is rainfall while the second is TMax. Fig1. Gauge(TL), Gridded Gauge(TR), Satellite(BL), Satellite combined with gauge(BR) Fig2: Station Tmax(TL), Gridded station(TR), Combined station-MODIS(BL), Elevation(BR) for reference

Improved Access and Use: Improved Web Page The newly developed NMA web page, designed by IRI and developed by a local consultant, is designed for better presentation/access of existing and new NMA products. The “Maproom” tap at the top will lead to the page shown on the next page.

Improved Access and Use: New Maprooms The New NMA Maprooms for better access and use of the newly developed climate time series. The “Climate Analysis” and “Climate Monitoring” have been developed. The three other Maprooms are still under construction. These will require more input data and consultation with users.

Improved Access and Use: Climate Monitoring Maproom This is a tool to look at the historical record of rainfall and temperature You can zoom into area of interest Animate of the 12 months Extract monthly climatology for a point, woreda, zone or regions

Improved Access and Use: Climate Monitoring Maproom - This is to monitor the current climate on ten-daily basis

IV. Significance and Next Steps

Significant Accomplishments Organization and processing of 30-years of raw METEOSAT data 2. Availability of 30-years of spatially and temporally complete data : “Gold mine” for research and applications 3. Online access to this kind of information is unprecedented in Africa 4. Transfer of IRI Data Library Technology to NMS in Africa

Next Steps Strengthen the Ethiopian case Test the approach in some countries Evaluate the approach 2. Scale-up to more countries

Next Steps: The process so far: Tanzania: Completed

Next Steps: The process so far: CILSS/AGRHYMET: 90 % Completed

Next Steps: The process so far: Coming soon: Burkina, Mali, Niger, Madagascar