South African Weather Service

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) is the meteorological service under the South African government's Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. SAWS is a member of the World Meteorological Organization.

Under the South African Weather Service Act (No. 8 of 2001) effective 15 July 2001, SAWS became a public entity.[1]

Data acquisition

Weather stations

South Africa operates a significant number of weather stations in South Africa as well as stations at Gough Island, Marion Island and Antarctica in cooperation with the South African National Antarctic Programme.[2]

List of South African Weather Stations [3]
Name WMO # ICAO Location
Alexander Bay406FAAB28°34′S 16°32′E
Aliwal North546FAAN30°43′S 26°43′E
Babanango48828°23′S 31°5′E
Beaufort West728FABY32°21′S 22°35′E
Bethal37026°27′S 29°29′E
Bethlehem Airport461FABM28°15′S 28°20′E
Bethlehem46228°10′S 28°46′E
Bisho Airport75232°50′S 27°27′E
Bloemfontein Airport442FABL29°6′S 26°18′E
Calvinia618FACV31°28′S 19°46′E
Cape Agulhas92034°50′S 20°1′E
Cape Columbine71232°50′S 17°51′E
Cape Point91634°21′S 18°30′E
Cape Saint Francis93834°12′S 24°50′E
Cape Saint Lucia49628°30′S 32°24′E
Cape Town International Airport816FACT33°59′S 18°36′E
Carolina380FACL26°4′S 30°7′E
Cedara58029°32′S 30°17′E
Cradock74432°10′S 25°37′E
De Aar536FADA30°39′S 24°1′E
De Aar538FADY30°38′S 23°55′E
Döhne75432°31′S 27°28′E
Douglas53029°4′S 23°45′E
Durban International Airport588FADN29°58′S 30°57′E
East London Airport858FAEL33°2′S 27°50′E
Ellisras156FAER23°43′35″S 27°41′18″E
Estcourt47829°00′S 29°53′E
Fauresmith54229°46′S 25°19′E
Fleur De Lys29224°32′S 31°2′E
Frankfort362FAFF27°16′S 28°30′E
Fraserburg624FAFR31°55′S 21°31′E
George Airport828FAGG34°00′S 22°23′E
Germiston36926°15′S 28°9′E
Gough Island906FAGE40°21′S 9°53′W
Graaff Reinet736FAGR32°15′S 24°32′E
Graskop28624°56′S 30°50′E
Hoedspruit290FAHS24°22′S 31°2′E
Jansenville73832°56′S 24°40′E
Kimberley Airport438FAKM28°48′S 24°46′E
Klerksdorp347FAKD26°52′S 26°43′E
Kroonstad35227°40′S 27°15′E
Kuruman33227°28′S 23°26′E
Ladysmith476FALY28°34′S 29°46′E
AFB Langebaanweg714FALW32°58′S 18°10′E
Levubu18223°5′S 30°17′E
Lydenburg18425°6′S 30°28′E
Macuville18022°16′S 29°54′E
Mafikeng242FAMM25°47′S 25°32′E
Makatini40027°24′S 32°11′E
Mara17623°9′S 29°34′E
Marion Island994FAME46°53′S 37°52′E
Marnitz16223°9′S 28°13′E
Matatiele57030°21′S 28°48′E
Middelburg638FAMB31°29′S 25°2′E
Mossel Bay928FAMO34°11′S 22°9′E
Nelspruit288FANS25°26′S 30°59′E
Newcastle37827°44′S 29°55′E
OR Tambo International Airport368FAJS26°8′S 28°14′E
Ottosdal34226°49′S 26°1′E
Oudestad27225°11′S 29°20′E
Oudtshoorn826FAOH33°34′S 22°13′E
Phalaborwa190FAPH23°56′S 31°9′E
Pietersburg174FAPB23°52′S 29°27′E
Piet Retief38827°2′S 30°48′E
Pilansberg25025°20′S 27°10′E
Plessisdraai34427°59′S 26°8′E
Pofadder41629°8′S 19°23′E
Port Elizabeth Airport842FAPE33°59′S 25°36′E
Port Nolloth40829°14′S 16°52′E
Port Shepstone58430°44′S 30°27′E
Port St Johns674FAPJ31°38′S 29°33′E
Postmasburg43028°19′S 23°4′E
Potchefstroom Agric.35026°44′S 27°4′E
Potchefstroom Upper-Air35126°40′S 27°6′E
Potgietersrus27624°11′S 29°1′E
Pretoria (Irene)263FAIR25°55′S 28°13′E
Pretoria262FAPR25°44′S 28°11′E
Prieska52829°40′S 22°45′E
Queenstown648FAQT31°54′S 26°52′E
Richard Bay498FARB28°48′S 32°6′E
Riversdale92634°5′S 21°15′E
Robertson71833°50′S 19°54′E
Rustenburg25225°43′S 27°18′E
Shaleburn57229°48′S 29°21′E
Sheeprun56430°59′S 28°23′E
Skukuza29624°59′S 31°36′E
Somerset East74232°44′S 25°35′E
Springbok512FASB29°40′S 17°52′E
Standerton37226°56′S 29°14′E
Sutherland72232°23′S 20°40′E
Taung33627°33′S 24°46′E
Thabazimbi25424°35′S 27°25′E
Thohoyandou19222°58′S 30°30′E
Touws River81833°21′S 20°3′E
Tristan Da Cunha902FATC37°3′S 12°19′W
Tswelopele28424°39′S 30°17′E
Twee Riviere32226°28′S 20°37′E
Tzaneen18623°50′S 30°9′E
Umtata668FAUT31°32′S 28°40′E
Upington Airport424FAUP28°24′S 21°16′E
Vanwyksvlei52430°21′S 21°49′E
Vanzylsrus33026°53′S 22°3′E
Vredendal614FAVR31°40′S 18°30′E
Vryburg338FAVB26°57′S 24°38′E
Warmbaths26824°54′S 28°20′E
AFB Waterkloof264FAWK25°50′S 28°13′E
Welkom346FAWM28°00′S 26°40′E
Wepener55029°44′S 27°2′E
Willowmore83233°17′S 23°30′E

Weather radar

Near real-time (~5 minutes delay) weather radar is available for most of the country,[4] even within the Kruger National Park.[5]

Marine weather buoys

Between 30 and 40 drifting weather buoys are deployed annually.[2]

Weather modification

The SAWS, in cooperation with a number of other entities, is actively involved in weather control research under the South African National Precipitation Research and Rainfall Enhancement Programme, specifically with the Bethlehem Precipitation Research Project[6][7]

See also

References
  1. "S A Weather Service Act (8 of 2001)". The Presidency of South Africa. 29 June 2001. Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  2. "Weather Program". South African National Antarctic Program. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  3. "Meteorological Station Location Information". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  4. "Radar Home". South African Weather Service. Archived from the original on 18 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  5. Nick Zambatis and Lynette Strauss. "Radar Station Completed". Siyabona Africa Travel. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  6. "The Bethlehem Precipitation Research Project". South African Weather Service. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  7. "South African National Precipitation Research and Rainfall Enhancement Programme (NPRP-SAREP) 1990 - 2000". South African Water Research Commission. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
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