The first of a series of PUMA-2025 receiving stations, specifically designed to collect data from the next generation of Meteosat geostationary satellites, has been installed in Nairobi, Kenya. It will ensure that Kenyan meteorologists can use the most accurate and frequent data from Meteosat’s third generation (MTG) satellites to support the sustainable development of local communities and protect lives and livelihoods.
EUMETSAT is supporting the African Union Commission in its efforts to establish a network of similar stations in several national weather and climate services across the continent in the coming months. This will provide most African meteorologists and scientists with the latest technology to receive and use MTG data.
EUMETSAT’s Meteosat satellites are the only Earth observation satellites with a permanent view of Africa. MTG will provide higher resolution images of Africa than is currently possible, and at shorter intervals, every 10 minutes.
“The African Union and EUMETSAT signed an agreement in 2022 to ensure that the right infrastructure is implemented to make MTG data available to African users,” explains Phil Evans, Director General of EUMETSAT. “The milestone we have just reached ensures continuity of satellite data reception across the continent, enabling more efficient early warnings for all, more accurate forecasts of extreme weather events and better protection for all.”
The first PUMA station was installed almost 20 years ago, in February 2004, to receive Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) data as part of the Preparation for Use of Meteosat in Africa (PUMA) project. To date, thanks to the support of various EU-funded programmes in Africa (such as PUMA, AMESD, MESA), this infrastructure has enabled African weather and climate services across the continent to receive timely and efficient data from the Meteosat geostationary satellites to forecast and monitor extreme weather events. The current installations aim to improve the infrastructure for MTG; they are accompanied by appropriate training to maximise the benefit for meteorologists and to enable on-site maintenance.
Upcoming installations include a station in Cotonou, Benin, which will host the 16th EUMETSAT User Forum in Africa. The event will provide a platform for African meteorologists to exchange knowledge and use Meteosat data, as well as to discuss perspectives on improving early warning systems.
Read more on the usefulness of EUMETSAT data in Kenya.
