Strategic visit to assess readiness and enhance capabilities
In a move reflecting the government's strong interest in the environment and meteorology sector, the Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Engineer Mansour Al-Mashiti, conducted an inspection visit to the headquarters of the National Center for Meteorology in Jeddah. The visit aimed to assess the center's operational, technical, and technological progress and to review the latest developments within its vital role in supporting the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
Historical background and the center's role in Vision 2030
The establishment of the National Center for Meteorology is one of the outcomes of the National Environment Strategy, which aims to restructure the Kingdom's environmental sector to enhance performance and efficiency. The Center serves as the specialized technical arm for monitoring weather phenomena and providing accurate data to support all development sectors, from aviation and maritime safety to agriculture, water resource management, and urban planning. This visit is particularly significant as it comes at a time when the world and the Kingdom are facing increasing climate challenges, placing the Center at the forefront of national entities responsible for building a comprehensive early warning system to protect lives and property.
Details of the inspection tour and key technologies
Engineer Al-Mashiti began his tour with a visit to the cloud seeding program's operations room, where he received a detailed briefing on the advanced technologies used in this ambitious national program, which aims to increase rainfall rates to address water scarcity challenges. He also reviewed the operational capabilities of the Saudi Meteorology platform, emphasizing its pivotal role in ensuring accurate weather monitoring and the rapid dissemination of warning information to relevant authorities and the public.
The visit also included an inspection of the Regional Center for Climate Change, where he reviewed its operational systems and the digital climate archiving system that maintains a historical record of weather data in the Kingdom. He also visited the Regional Center for Dust and Sandstorms, learning about its role in monitoring and analysis at the regional level, which is of paramount importance given the nature of the Kingdom's climate and that of the surrounding region.
Local and regional importance
The National Center for Meteorology's impact extends beyond the local level to encompass the entire region. Through its advanced numerical models and probabilistic forecasts, the center contributes to enhancing the quality and efficiency of meteorological forecasts and reducing error rates, thus supporting decision-making by relevant authorities. At the conclusion of his tour, Al-Mashiti emphasized the necessity of strengthening integration and coordination between the center and all governmental and private entities to ensure a smooth and accurate exchange of information, thereby raising the level of preparedness for dealing with various weather conditions efficiently and effectively.
