Participants and organizers during the SAHF Forecasters’ Forum Training Workshop on 29-31 July 2024
Bangkok, Thailand – A workshop to enhance weather forecasting capabilities in South Asia was conducted on 29-31 July 2024 gathering 30 meteorological and hydrological experts and practitioners from across the region to share knowledge and explore advanced technologies.
The “Regional Training Workshop for SAHF Forecasters’ Forum (FForum) Expanded Service Support” focused on improving forecasts for regional weather and extreme events, especially cyclones, heavy rain, and heatwaves. Participants learned about the latest advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and high-resolution forecasting models. The event was organized under the South Asia Hydromet Forum (SAHF) as part of the World Bank-supported Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CARE) for South Asia Component 1, and guided by leading experts from India's National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), and the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES), the workshop.
The workshop strengthened networking among SAHF national meteorological and hydrological services (NMHSs) forecasters and advanced skills in extreme weather forecasting. It featured discussions on AI and ML tools for interpreting forecasts, shared insights on existing technologies and best practices, and reinforced connections within the FForum. Additionally, the workshop included case studies on regional extreme weather events to enhance understanding and improve response strategies.The discussions also emphasized the importance of using new regional and global products for improved extreme weather forecasting and monitoring.
The Forecasters’ Forum, established in 2022, had already made significant strides in fostering collaboration among South Asian nations. It has conducted over 120 weekly sessions including special sessions focused on extreme events such as tropical cyclones, and special lecture series on the South Asian monsoon seasons of 2022 and 2023. The Forum has also provided knowledge sharing platforms and communication mechanisms among its participants through the SAHF Knowledge Hub (SKHub) to help improve forecasters’ learning, and sharing of expertise and experiences, to drive a collective effort to enhance weather forecasting and preparedness in the region.
"Our goal is to create a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration among hydromet experts, equipping forecasters with the tools to provide accurate, timely warnings for extreme weather through modern technology," said Dr. Anshul Agarwal, Lead-SAHF, RIMES."
The South Asia Hydromet Forum
The South Asia Hydromet Forum (SAHF), with support from World Bank through the CARE Component 1 and implemented by RIMES, is a regional initiative that provides capacity building and training activities to support NMHSs to generate and transform climate data into actionable information that is critical in saving lives and assets and strengthening the #resilience of communities in SouthAsia. (30)