Climate Monitoring

Climate monitoring for Africa

Tracking present climate conditions, anomalies and extremes across Africa and the global climate system.

Climate monitoring function

Monitoring Africa's climate system

ACMAD's Regional Climate Centre monitors the present state of the ocean-land-atmosphere system using temperature, precipitation, atmospheric circulation and convection over Africa and the globe.

The monitoring evidence combines in-situ and satellite observations with analyses and reanalyses from global centres. These consistent records support climate diagnostics, the assessment of trends and extremes, climate research and operational long-range forecasting.

In-situ observations Satellite observations Global analyses Climate reanalyses

Diagnostics and assessment

Climate diagnostics and assessment

Regular assessments translate observed conditions into evidence for climate services, planning and early action.

Annual assessment

Annual State of the Climate Report

Observed climate conditions, significant extremes, impacts and long-term trends across Africa.

Monthly diagnostics

Monthly Climate Diagnostic Bulletin

Rainfall totals, anomalies, percent of normal and rainy-day diagnostics for the continent.

10-day assessment

Dekadal Climate Bulletin

Ten-day climate conditions and technical guidance supporting rapid regional assessment.

Rainfall intelligence

Rainfall and seasonal onset monitoring

Follow observed rainfall, growing-season onset and probability guidance from daily to seasonal timescales.

01 Daily monitoring

Daily Rainfall Monitoring

Observed rainfall totals and spatial patterns supporting day-to-day monitoring across Africa.

02 Seasonal tracking

Rainfall and Seasonal Onset Monitoring

Tracks rainfall progression and the onset of the growing season for climate-sensitive planning.

03 Five-day outlook

5-Day Rainfall Probability Forecast

Short-range rainfall probabilities for anticipating wet and dry conditions.

04 Seasonal outlook

Seasonal Rainfall Probability of Exceedance

Probability guidance showing where seasonal rainfall may exceed decision-relevant thresholds.

Early awareness

Climate watch, extremes and atmospheric conditions

Operational surveillance connects large-scale atmospheric drivers with emerging regional anomalies and climate hazards.

Climate advisory

Climate Watch Bulletin

Climate information and advisories focused on significant anomalies, extremes and their potential impacts.

Significant rainfall anomalies
Vegetation conditions
Marine production conditions
Climate extremes and impacts

Synoptic analysis

Atmospheric Analysis

Analysis of large-scale circulation and atmospheric drivers affecting African climate.

Position monitoring

ITD and ITCZ Monitoring

Operational monitoring of tropical convergence features that shape West African rainfall.

External forecast service

Country monitoring

Explore operational multimodel forecast guidance for Africa and selected countries, including rainfall, temperature, wind and atmospheric conditions.

These links open the legacy THREDDS service in a new tab.

Long-term evidence

Climate indices and historical trends

Explore quality-controlled climate indices and historical graphs for temperature and precipitation. Filter the collection by country, station, variable and period to support trend assessment and climate research.

Explore climate indices

Climate baselines

Reference climatologies and historical observations

Place current conditions in context using regional climatology maps and station-based historical observations.

Country and station archive

Specialized observation

Cryosphere and African Mountain Glaciers

Evidence and assessments of glacier and cryosphere change in Africa's mountain environments.

View cryosphere products

Supporting data

Monitoring data and analysis tools

Move directly from regional assessments to the underlying local data collections.