Following the training, the participants created and published an installation manual on GitHub, accompanied by an automated installation script for WRF (v4.7.1) and MOLOCH. The manual and script are available free of charge at the following links:

WRF slapis-git/install-wrf-home

MOLOCH slapis-git/install-moloch-home

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MOLOCH is a non-hydrostatic regional model developed by CNR-ISAC (Italy). It enables the production of very high spatial resolution forecasts and explicitly represents convective phenomena. The model solves the non-hydrostatic and fully compressible equations of the atmosphere, with a horizontal resolution of up to 0.0113° (1.25 km), 60 atmospheric levels, and 13 ground levels.

It was in this context that a training seminar was organized from November 3 to 7, 2025, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, for the benefit of weather forecasting and modeling experts from ANAM in Burkina Faso. This training aimed to ensure a transfer of skills between the various stakeholders (Burkina Faso, Niger, Italy) for the management and operation of the MOLOCH model. 15 experts attended the seminar, which was followed by a two month period of post-training activities. The main outcome of this seminar was the installation of a MOLOCH-based forecasting chain on ANAM servers. The chain consists of a 3k resolution model nested onto a 9 km model initialized with GFS forecasts. The chain is being actually tested before becoming operational.

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For many developing-country NMSs without internal training facilities, advanced capacity development often relies on short, intensive courses lasting one or two weeks and focused on specific techniques or tools. While these courses can improve knowledge and technical skills, they rarely lead to a meaningful increase in competence—which requires the sustained application of methods and tools within real operational environments.

In line with this principle, one of the most effective approaches to building lasting competence is to embed trainees within an operational team for a sufficiently long period. This allows them to acquire not only technical knowledge but also hands-on operational experience and an understanding of the team’s working practices.

During the joint CALMET XVI and CONEC T 3 conference held in Florence, Italy, on 24–28 November 2025, a panel session presented the collaborative experience between the Meteorological Service of the Tuscany Region (LaMMA, Italy), the National Meteorological Services of Niger (DMN) and Burkina Faso (ANAM), supported by the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) through the Institute of BioEconomy (IBE) and the WMO Regional Training Center in Italy.

With the facilitation of Mr. Stephen Kerr (Meteorological Service of Canada), the panelists illustrated how, within the Slapis Sahel project, the WMO Regional Training Center in Italy designed and implemented a blended and integrated training programme aimed at strengthening the competencies of the NMSs of Niger and Burkina Faso. The objective was to enable local forecasters, modelers and IT specialists to operationalize regional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) chains in support of hydrometeorological early warning systems.

The cornerstone of this programme was the embedding of two modelers from the African partner institutions into the IBE–LaMMA operational team for more than a year. Working closely with Italian researchers and forecasters, they acquired not only technical knowledge and skills but also operational experience and competence in running and maintaining NWP systems. This training strategy is fully aligned with the WMO Competency Framework for Public Weather Service Forecasters and Advisers.

The panelists discussed both the results and the challenges of this approach, highlighting its mutual benefits for African and Italian institutions. They also outlined the conditions needed to ensure the sustainability and replicability of embedding trainees within operational teams, including institutional commitment, technical readiness and individual motivation.

The Panlelists; from left to right: Vieri Tarchiani, Bernardo Gozzini, Valerio Capecchi, Rakiswende Thomas Bere, Younoussa Adamou Sayri and Stephen Kerr.

The post From Training to Transformation: Co-Developing Forecasting Capacities for Early Warning in West Africa appeared first on climateservices.it CNR-IBE.

The mission built on technical discussions held earlier in April 2025 in Niamey and Ouagadougou, during which the first validation results of the WRF model were presented and opportunities for improving forecasting tools were explored. A dedicated online seminar on 19 May 2025 further introduced MOLOCH’s potential and led to the definition of a roadmap for testing and transferring the operational chain to the Agence Nationale de la Météorologie (ANAM) of Burkina Faso and Niger’s Direction Nationale de la Météorologie (DNM).

During the five-day “learning by doing” training, ANAM experts received hands-on knowledge on the installation, configuration, and initial testing of the MOLOCH model. Participants worked on domain setup, simulation tests, model management, post-processing procedures, and the generation of operational forecast products. A field visit and several technical sessions further supported collaborative learning and problem-solving.

Delivered by specialists from IBE-CNR and the LaMMA Consortium—together with experts from DNM and ANAM—this mission marked an important step toward enhancing local forecasting capacities and improving severe-weather early-warning services across the Sahel.

In addition, on Friday, during LaMMA’s regular weekly forecast livestream, a live connection was made with the two LaMMA forecasters and Thomas Bere (ANAM) presented the weekly weather bulletin for Burkina Faso from the weather–media room of the Burkina Faso Meteorological Service (minute 12:45).

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Under the coordination of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), through its Institute for BioEconomy (CNR-IBE), and the LaMMA Consortium — the operational meteorological service of the Tuscany Region — an international meeting titled “International Cooperation in Applied Meteorology for Reducing Hydroclimatic Risks” has been held in Florence, Italy, on 14 October 2025. The event brings together representatives of Italian and African meteorological services, researchers, international organizations, and cooperation agencies to share experiences, consolidate partnerships, and discuss future directions for operational forecasting in the region.

As highlighted by CNR, “Climate change and natural disasters represent a common challenge at all latitudes.” This shared challenge requires joint scientific action, capacity building, and knowledge exchange. For more than forty years, CNR has been engaged in research, technology transfer and training  — through the World Meteorological Organization’s Regional Training Centre in Italy (WMO-RTC Italy) — in Africa promoting collaboration and co-development in meteorology, climatology, and agrometeorology.

The Florence meeting showcases this long-standing cooperation, particularly through projects such as SLAPIS Sahel, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and implemented by the Politecnico di Torino, CNR-IBE, LaMMA, and the national meteorological services of Niger and Burkina Faso. The initiative focuses on improving operational meteorological forecasting chains and developing hydrometeorological early-warning services adapted to local contexts. It also invests in human capacity — training African forecasters, modellers, and IT specialists both in Italy and in their home countries — to ensure that advanced tools like the MOLOCH and WRF models can be effectively used for real-time weather prediction.

Beyond its scientific dimension, the event symbolizes a broader vision of international cooperation: building resilience together, across continents, through shared knowledge and trust. It includes the signing of new collaboration agreements between the Italian and African institutions, reaffirming the commitment to long-term partnerships that go beyond project cycles.

As LaMMA emphasizes, “operational meteorology and international cooperation go hand in hand when it comes to protecting lives and livelihoods.” By pooling expertise and resources, Italy, Niger and Burkina Faso are contributing to a global effort to make meteorological services more accurate, inclusive, and impactful.

At a time when climate extremes are increasing everywhere, initiatives like this one highlight how joint scientific collaboration can turn forecasting into foresight — and foresight into resilience.

Links

https://www.cnr.it/it/evento/20145 : CNR – Previsione meteorologica per la riduzione dei rischi naturali nel Sahel: la cooperazione scientifica Italia-Africa

https://www.cnr.it/it/news/13836/cambiamenti-climatici-e-disastri-naturali-una-sfida-comune-a-tutte-le-latitudini : CNR – Cambiamenti climatici e disastri naturali una sfida comune a tutte le latitudini

https://www.lamma.toscana.it/news/previsione-meteo-e-riduzione-dei-rischi-sahel-la-cooperazione-italia-africa : LaMMA – Cooperazione internazionale e meteorologia operativa: a Firenze una giornata di confronto

Presentations

1. Weather forecasting and climate risk reduction in dry tropical Africa (Vieri Tarchiani, IBE-CNR)
2. State of the art and applications of NWP in Burkina Faso (Lazare Sawadogo, ANAM)
3. Towards autonomy for Niger’s Meteorological Service in the production of climate services based on NWP (Ousman Baoua, DMN)
4. Training activities on meteorology and climatology hosted by the Italian Air Force (Antonio Vocino, Sezione Cooperazione Internazionale dell’Ufficio Generale AVIAMM dell’Aeronautica Militare)
5. Training in applied meteorology (Marina Baldi, WMO Regional Training Center in Italy/IBE-CNR)
6. MOLOCH: a CNR operational model for Europe (Oxana Drofa, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate-CNR)
7. MOLOCH West Africa (Francesco Pasi, LaMMA/IBE-CNR)
8. WRF verification in Niger and Burkina Faso (T. Bere / Y. Adamou Sayri – IBE-CNR/ANAM/DMN)
9. A Review of Recent Advances in AI Models for Weather Forecasting (Valerio Capecchi – LaMMA and ItaliaMeteo)
10. Forecasting, thresholds, and triggers for droughts in Mozambique (Massimiliano Pasqui, IBE-CNR)
11. International cooperation at Italia Meteo: Albatros project (Eva Merloni, Agenzia ItaliaMeteo)

The post Weather Forecasting and Climate Cooperation between Italy and Africa: Strengthening Early Warning and Resilience in the Sahel appeared first on climateservices.it CNR-IBE.

Date: 24-28 June 2024 

Venue: University Campus, Conegliano Veneto (I)

The increasing frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change represents a severe threat to agriculture. The long-lasting socio-economic costs of extreme events pose serious challenges for the farmers and the communities. Agricultural Meteorology, through the development of new information, knowledge, and innovative tools, will play a key role to manage and reduce the negative impacts of extreme events on the agriculture sector.

The school’s objective is to promote the use of innovative tools for risk management within the context of weather extreme events. Additionally, it aims to help participants enhance their understanding of scientific findings and advanced technologies related to agrometeorological analysis and monitoring.

The school, in its complex, will be capable to integrate and complete knowledge and operational application capacity offered from fundamental Academic courses. School is a unique occasion for multiple interactions and exchanges between younger students, bringing enthusiasm and new vision, and specialized teachers, allowing a win-win situation.

Online applications

The post The 4th edition Agromet School “Agricultural Meteorology for managing the extreme events” appeared first on climateservices.it CNR-IBE.

• Disaster risk knowledge and management
  Ensuring all countries have access to reliable, understandable and relevant risk information, science and expertise (led by UNDRR).
• Detection, observation, monitoring, analysis, and forecasting
  Ensuring all countries have robust forecast and monitoring systems (both soft and hardware infrastructure) and enabling policies to support optimization and sustainability of hazard monitoring and early warning systems (led by WMO).
• Warning dissemination and communication
  Using a people-centred approach to ensure that early warnings are effectively and timely disseminated to reach everyone, especially those most at risk (led by ITU).
• Preparedness and response capabilities
  Ensuring local governments, communities and individuals at risk have the knowledge and means to take pre-emptive early actions to prepare for and respond to incoming disasters upon receiving warnings (led by IFRC).

Early warning systems that prioritize people, cover the entire process, and address multiple hazards can effectively reduce the impact on individuals, assets, and livelihoods. These systems achieve this by initiating well-prepared and tested early actions.

The State of the Art of Early Warning Systems

This forward-thinking program seeks to provide timely and precise weather-related information, guiding effective planning and safeguarding communities. As a pivotal component of this initiative, WMO conducted a Rapid Assessment of Pillar 2, strategically evaluating the hazard monitoring and forecasting capabilities of 30 selected countries. This comprehensive assessment meticulously scrutinized seven crucial elements within the hydrometeorological value chain, ranging from legal frameworks and institutional mechanisms to forecasting tools’ application and early warning system operations. The insights gained through this initiative not only illuminate the overall preparedness of nations but also pinpoint specific areas requiring focused attention and support.

This comprehensive assessment delved into seven key elements within the hydrometeorological value chain, meticulously examining the legal frameworks and institutional mechanisms of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), the observation infrastructure, hazard monitoring capacity, utilization of remote-sensing data, application of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models and forecasting tools, impact-based forecasting capacity, as well as the efficiency of warning services and early warning system operations. Aligned with the outcomes of the Pillar 2 Implementation Strategy, the evaluation provided a holistic overview of each country’s preparedness.

To capture a nuanced understanding of each element, a combination of quantitative and qualitative data was gathered through structured interviews employing established early warning system (EWS) assessment methodologies, including the Multi-hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) Checklist and Country Hydromet Diagnostics (CHD). The responses underwent careful weighting and analysis, resulting in a ranking on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 denoted advanced capacity and 1 indicated little to no basic capacity.

Beyond assessing general hazard monitoring and forecasting capacity, the Rapid Assessment honed in on the top five hazards, self-identified by each country, from a hydrometeorological perspective. While recognizing the need for more granular analyses specific to each hazard, the evaluation successfully unearthed gaps in observing and forecasting capacities tailored to these particular threats.

The assessment didn’t stop at technical capabilities; it also factored in critical enabling environment elements. Considerations included the presence of legislation, governance mechanisms, and both financial and technological capabilities. This holistic approach allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of a country’s overall preparedness and identified areas requiring targeted support.

The findings from the WMO Rapid Assessment underscore the importance of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in establishing comprehensive monitoring and forecasting capabilities through integrated early warning systems. This approach guarantees that nations are equipped to address not just statistically significant hazards but also all significant risks to their communities and ecosystems.

The report on the Global Status of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems in 2023, unveiled during COP28, examines the most recent data, marking a year since the inception of the Early Warnings for All Initiative. The initiative’s goal is to provide comprehensive coverage for everyone worldwide by 2027.

A training project focused on strengthening EWS capability in Africa

In this context, WMO RTC Italy, managed by CNR-IBE, will present the training project “EWAfrica: Enhancing Early Warnings for Climate and Weather Extremes” during COP28 on December 9th, supporting the Early Warnings for All Action Plan for Africa.

Empower participants with enhanced knowledge and technical expertise to establish Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) in their respective countries and regions, tailored to local needs within a robust global scientific framework. The training course is designed to meet the specific learning requirements of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) agencies, with a focus on collaboratively developing multi-hazard, people-centred, and impact-based Early Warning Systems (EWS) in Africa. Each course pillar delves into distinct learning topics, fostering collaboration, partnership, inclusion, interoperability, and transdisciplinary approaches. Additionally, contribute to the implementation of the Early Warnings for All in Africa Action Plan by enhancing the capacities of NMHS and other agencies involved in early warning systems for climate and weather-related risks. This initiative addresses key principles of MHEWS and aligns with the four pillars of EW4ALL (Early Warning for All).

This project is organised by the World Meteorological Organization Regional Training Center in Italy, managed by CNR-IBE in collaboration with the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies and the Center of Excellence in Telesensing of Environment and Model Prediction of Severe Events of the University of L’Aquila in Italy.

At present, the project is still in the planning phase, with anticipated implementation in 2024.

The post Early Warning to Strengthen Resilience against Weather, Water, and Climate Events appeared first on climateservices.it CNR-IBE.

Credit: European Union, Copernicus Emergency Management Service

According to the EU’s environmental programme Copernicus, the 2022 drought may be the worst Europe has experienced in 500 years. Scientific research also tells us that this is not a sporadic phenomenon but an ongoing trend leading to warmer and drier seasons that are likely to become the norm. In this context, information sharing and shared knowledge are supportive tools to improve better management of the impacts of drought. CNR-IBE contributes with a dedicated service and a specific training course.

Drought @ CNR-IBE

One of the research teams at the CNR-IBE focuses on drought research and delivers service through the Drought Observatory, a system providing a semi-automatic, detailed, timely and complete operational service. The aim is to support decision-makers, water authorities, researchers and other stakeholders through a monthly bulletin and a dedicated WebGIS.

Moreover, the WMO’s Regional Training Centre Italy, run by CNR-IBE, developed a course on “Drought Management and Forecasting Basics” in the framework of TOPaCS (Training Operational Package for Climate Services).

This course proposes a set of introductory lessons given by internationally recognised experts.

• Drought Management and Forecasting, Christel Prudhomme – Centre for Ecology & Hydrology – Loughborough University, NERC Centre for Environment
• Drought Monitoring and Seasonal Forecasting, Ramona Magno – Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council (IBE-CNR)
• Assessment of Water Balances and Optimisation based Target Setting Across EU River Basin, Tommaso Moramarco – Research Institute for Hydrogeological Protection, National Research Council (CNR-IRPI)
• About Drought: the role of scientists in responding to users’ needs for drought management, Massimiliano Pasqui
• Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council (IBE-CNR)

Here is the short video presentation of the course.

Credits of the featured image of this post: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery acquired on 2 February 2022 by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites, shows the Po River near Cremona in northern Italy.

The post Learning Drought Basics appeared first on climateservices.it CNR-IBE.

This second edition was made possible thanks to the support of CNR-IBE (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Bioeconomia), CREA (Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria), Università degli Studi di Firenze – DAGRI (Dipartimento di scienze e tecnologie agrarie, alimentari, ambientali e forestali), Regione Sicilia, CGIAR (The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research), IWMI (International Water management Institute, Alliance Biodiversity International – CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture), Rete Rurale Nazionale 2014-2020, Accademia dei Georgofili.

About the course

The programme is a theory-practice blend, to enable the direct application of theory through the use of advanced tools, and the analysis of case studies.

The Topics

• Relations between hydrological cycle, agriculture, and climate change
• Water harvesting, research, and implementation
• Modelling of crop yield response to water under conditions in which water is a key limiting factor in crop production – the AquaCrop system
• Satellite products and tools for sustainable water management
• Field visit to Acqua Campus (CER), and Decision support systems (DSSs)

The Course Format

One-week classroom school, which includes lectures, group discussions, case studies, and practical training sessions.
Students and teachers of the course will benefit from the Moodle platform through which educational material will be shared and assessment procedures conducted.

The Trainers

Trainers are world-class experts from the University of Florence (DAGRI), University of Milan, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Sicily Region, National Research Council of Italy, and International Agencies: Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations – FAO, CGIAR / Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, CGIAR/IWMI.

Save the Dates

Closing date for applications 15 June 2022
Decisions on acceptance will be announced by email on 27 June 2022
Closing date registration fee payment 15 July 2022

 
In the Course Brochure, the Programme, Enrolment Procedures and other information.

Download the Brochure

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Turning climate information into value for traditional Mediterranean agri-food systems

MED-GOLD project has the aim to translate state-of-the-art climate data and climate predictions — at the seasonal timescale and beyond — into easily accessible, valuable information for a wide range of end-users in the agriculture sector.
In the project framework, an online training event, MED-GOLD Living La, will take place from 27 May – 24 June 2021.

This online event is dedicated to early-career scientists and professionals in the areas of climate science, agriculture, business strategy, social sciences and communication.

The Structure of the event

9 sessions – 5 plenaries and 4 hands-on sessions – over five weeks, with periodic activities delivered by speakers across different disciplines relevant to the development and implementation of climate services for the agriculture sector, including climate modelling, agriculture and user engagement.
Download: the first draft of the programme of lessons and activities.

Who is it for

Early-career scientists and professionals with a wide range of individual profiles are encouraged to apply and join the multidisciplinary teams: climate scientists, agronomists, software developers (R, Python), social scientists, and communication experts. Participants will learn about concepts and methodologies used to develop climate services.
The maximum number of participants is 25.

Link: Information and registration for Living Lab.

No registration fee required.

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