FAQ's

For Short term drought (dry spells) SADC CSC produces the consecutive number of dry days

It is defined as accumulation of at least 20mm of rainfall over three days, which are not followed by a dry spell in the next 10 days (i.e. there is at least one rainfall event in the next 10 days).

A SADC CSC Community of Practice Charter is a document that outlines the key roles, objectives, structure and guides the responsibilities of the SADC CSC Community of Practice WhatsApp online platform.

SADC CSC holds recurring themed online Lunch and Learn sessions each quarter and every climate services producer and user is invited. These sessions will help build collaboration, knowledge, and networks among climate producers and users across the SADC region.

The purpose of the online Community of Practice is (i) to continue deepening engagement and understanding across regional and national stakeholders on climate services issues beyond SARCOF, and (ii) stimulate the co-creation of climate services, collaboration, and mutual learning among community of practice members. The Community of Practice currently uses the WhatsApp Community Platform.

Standard climate products include SADC Member States’ historical data sets, tailored climate predictions, climate model outputs and forecast, climate outlook bulletins, and seasonal forecast.

• SADC CSC’s regional climate products and services are shared with all NMHS in the region and displayed on SADC CSC website. Likewise, NMHS puts latest information on its website and broadcast to key national stakeholders.
• Through the Community of Practice, Lunch & Learn sessions, and help desk, climate users will access latest climate bulletins, presentations, and notices from SADC CSC.

• SADC CSC has a regional mandate to provide climate information and services to member country National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) and to any regional acting entities. NMHSs are responsible for national climate products and services, weather forecasting, and shares outputs with national government departments, NGOs, private sector, and public.
• SADC CSC developed three user interface platforms (community of practice, help desk and lunch & learn sessions) to encourage continuous engagement between SADC CSC and climate users across the region. These platforms will also be used to disseminate climate information to users from all the 5 priority SADC CSC sectors.

SARCOF is one of the many Regional Climate Outlook Forums (RCOFs) across many parts of the world. SARCOF brings together international, regional, and national climate experts to produce regional climate outlooks based on input from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS), Regional Climate Centres and global producers of climate predictions.

During the Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF) forum RSUIPs work together to review the previous seasons advisory product. They also co-produce regional sectoral guidance based upon the seasonal forecast that is developed during the SARCOF climate expert meeting (CEM).

In most SADC countries, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) are the most common producers of climate products and services and have the mandate to be the primary provider in country. However, other organisations, such as climate research centres, academic institutions, and agricultural institutions, and in some cases the private sector can produce climate information, working together with the NMHS.

GFCS is a UN initiative in which WMO members, and inter-and non-governmental, regional, national, and local stakeholders work in partnership to develop tailored climate services. The role of GFCS is to coordinate, facilitate and strengthen collaboration to avoid duplication of effort amongst climate actors. This role is built upon the five pillars of User Interface Platforms, Climate Services Information System, Observations and Monitoring, Research, Modelling and Prediction, and Capacity Development. SADC CSC Climate Services and Related Applications (ClimSA) project addresses all the five pillars.

According to WMO, the main difference is that climate services cover average weather conditions over a long period of time, for example, months, years or decades, whilst Weather Services focus on short-term detailed observation of current weather such as daily rainfall and temperature conditions up to at least 5 to 7 days.

The primary responsibility of SADC CSC is to provide climate information and services to member state NMHSs. However, additionally in alignment with World Meteorological Organisation Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), SADC CSC climate services focuses on five priority areas, which are water, energy, disaster risk reduction, health, and agriculture and food security.

SADC CSC is aspiring to be a designated WMO Regional Climate Centre (RCC) whose mandate will be to develop, generate and disseminate hydro-meteorological products, as well as providing training and capacity building to National Meteorological and Hydrological Services. These products support key socioeconomic sectors including agriculture, energy, water resources, health, among others and are also crucial for increasing resilience to climate change impacts across the region.