GMet hosts training on climate data, hydrological modelling and early warning systems
The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) is hosting a five day short course on Climate Data, Hydrological Modelling and Early Warning Systems to strengthen participants’ capacity to translate climate and hydrological information into effective early warning and decision making.
The training, which commenced on Monday, 5 October 2026, is being organised by the African Doctoral Academy in collaboration with PERIPERI U and the AUDA-NEPAD Water Centres of Excellence, with GMet and the University of Ghana as partners.
The practical training brings together participants drawn from countries across Africa to develop hands on skills in climate data management, rainfall runoff modelling, flood risk assessment and early warning. A major component involves building, calibrating and critically appraising a coupled HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS 2D flood model of the Odaw River Basin in Accra, and using the model outputs to develop an early warning threshold to support timely decisions.
Participants are also being equipped to explain rainfall runoff processes, select appropriate catchment modelling methods, quality control and document climate and hydrological datasets, evaluate rainfall products and apply bias correction. The training also covers intensity duration frequency relationships, rainfall runoff modelling, flood control structures, inundation mapping, and the assessment of flood depth and arrival time.
Speaking at the opening, Director-General of GMet, Dr Eric Asuman, welcomed the collaboration and expressed the Agency’s appreciation to Prof. Austin Ablo and his team for considering GMet as a partner and host institution.
Dr Asuman said the training was timely given the growing exposure of communities across Africa to floods, droughts, extreme rainfall and other weather and climate related hazards. He emphasised the need to strengthen the link between reliable data, analysis, forecasting, early warnings and timely action, particularly in addressing urban flooding.
He further noted that the initiative supports GMet’s ambition to position Ghana as a regional centre of excellence for professional training and capacity development in meteorology, climatology, hydrology and early warning systems, with a longer term goal of attaining recognition as a World Meteorological Organization Regional Training Centre.
The programme is also the first official cohort to be hosted in GMet’s new operational building and state of the art training facility, marking a step forward in the Agency’s efforts to strengthen professional training and capacity development.
The training, which runs through Friday, 9 October 2026, is expected to equip participants with practical knowledge that can be applied within their respective institutions and communities, while strengthening collaboration and knowledge exchange among professionals working in climate, water, hydrology and early warning systems.
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