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

World Meteorological Organization

The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...

. The agency is similar to the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

' National Weather Service

National Weather Service

The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...

.

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

Weather stations

South Africa operates a significant number of weather stations in South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

 as well as stations at Gough Island

Gough Island

Gough Island , also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares or Diego Alvarez, is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...

, Marion Island and Antarctica in cooperation with the South African National Antarctic Program.

Name	WMO # World Meteorological Organization The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...	ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization The International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...	Location
Alexander Bay Alexander Bay, Northern Cape Alexander Bay is a town in the extreme north-west of South Africa, also known as the region of Little Namaqualand. It is located on the southern bank of the Orange River mouth. It was named for Sir James Alexander, who was the first person to map the area whilst on a Royal Geographical Society...   406 FAAB 28°34′S 16°32′E
Aliwal North Aliwal North Aliwal North is a town in central South Africa on the Orange River, Eastern Cape Province. Aliwal North is the seat of the Maletswai Local Municipality which falls within the Ukhahlamba District Municipality....   546 FAAN 30°43′S 26°43′E
Babanango Babanango, KwaZulu-Natal Babanango is the name of a hill, a stream and a settlement situated in Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. There are many versions of where the name Babanango originates from, the common accepted origin comes from the Zulu words 'baba nango'...   488 28°23′S 31°5′E
Beaufort West Beaufort West Beaufort West is a town in the Western Cape province in South Africa. It is the largest town in the arid Great Karoo region, and forms part of the Beaufort West Local Municipality, with 37 000 inhabitants in 2001....   728 FABY 32°21′S 22°35′E
Bethal Bethal Bethal is a farming town in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The farms in the region produce maize, sunflower seeds, sorghum, rye and potatoes. The town, established in 1880, was named after the combined names of the wives of the owners of the farm Blesbokspruit, Elizabeth du Plooy and Alida Naude.It is...   370 26°27′S 29°29′E
Bethlehem Bethlehem, Free State Bethlehem is a town in the eastern Free State province of South Africa that is situated on the Liebenbergs river along a fertile valley just south of the Rooiberg Mountains on the N5 highway....  Airport 461 FABM 28°15′S 28°20′E
Bethlehem Bethlehem, Free State Bethlehem is a town in the eastern Free State province of South Africa that is situated on the Liebenbergs river along a fertile valley just south of the Rooiberg Mountains on the N5 highway....   462 28°10′S 28°46′E
Bisho Airport 752 32°50′S 27°27′E
Bloemfontein Airport Bloemfontein Airport Bloemfontein Airport is located in Bloemfontein, a city in the Free State province of South Africa. The runways are shared with AFB Bloemspruit.In 2004, the airport served 225,636 passengers Bloemfontein Airport is located in Bloemfontein, a city in the Free State province of South Africa. The...   442 FABL 29°6′S 26°18′E
Calvinia 618 FACV 31°28′S 19°46′E
Cape Agulhas 920 34°50′S 20°1′E
Cape Columbine 712 32°50′S 17°51′E
Cape Point 916 34°21′S 18°30′E
Cape Saint Francis 938 34°12′S 24°50′E
Cape Saint Lucia 496 28°30′S 32°24′E
Cape Town International Airport Cape Town International Airport Cape Town International Airport is the primary airport serving the city of Cape Town, and is the second busiest airport in South Africa and third busiest in Africa. Located approximately from the city centre, the airport was opened in 1954 to replace Cape Town's previous airport in the suburb of...   816 FACT 33°59′S 18°36′E
Carolina 380 FACL 26°4′S 30°7′E
Cedara 580 29°32′S 30°17′E
Cradock 744 32°10′S 25°37′E
De Aar 536 FADA 30°39′S 24°1′E
De Aar 538 FADY 30°38′S 23°55′E
Döhne Döhne Döhne is a South African agricultural research station 6 kilometers north of Stutterheim in the Eastern Cape. It is noted for having developed the Döhne Merino from Peppin Merino ewes and German mutton merino sires in 1939. The program bred for high fertility, rapid lamb growth and fine wool...   754 32°31′S 27°28′E
Douglas 530 29°4′S 23°45′E
Durban International Airport Durban International Airport Durban International Airport was the international airport of Durban from 1951 until 2010, when it was replaced by King Shaka International Airport, to the north. The airport is co-located with AFB Durban.-History:...   588 FADN 29°58′S 30°57′E
East London Airport East London Airport East London Airport is located in East London, South Africa.East London's airport is a small but bustling one that plays an important role in the growing economy of the Eastern Cape....   858 FAEL 33°2′S 27°50′E
Ellisras 156 FAER 23°43′35"S 27°41′18"E
Estcourt 478 29°00′S 29°53′E
Fauresmith 542 29°46′S 25°19′E
Fleur De Lys 292 24°32′S 31°2′E
Frankfort 362 FAFF 27°16′S 28°30′E
Fraserburg 624 FAFR 31°55′S 21°31′E
George Airport George Airport George Airport is an airport located in George, South Africa. It was formerly known as P.W. Botha Airport, named after the state president who lived in this part of the country.In 2004, the airport served 199,000 passengers, up from 154,000 in 2003....   828 FAGG 34°00′S 22°23′E
Germiston 369 26°15′S 28°9′E
Gough Island Gough Island Gough Island , also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares or Diego Alvarez, is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...   906 FAGE 40°21′S 9°53′W
Graaff Reinet 736 FAGR 32°15′S 24°32′E
Graskop 286 24°56′S 30°50′E
Hoedspruit 290 FAHS 24°22′S 31°2′E
Jansenville 738 32°56′S 24°40′E
Kimberley Airport Kimberley Airport Kimberley Airport is an airport serving Kimberley, the capital city of the province of Northern Cape in South Africa.-Facilities:The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level...   438 FAKM 28°48′S 24°46′E
Klerksdorp 347 FAKD 26°52′S 26°43′E
Kroonstad 352 27°40′S 27°15′E
Kuruman 332 27°28′S 23°26′E
Ladysmith Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal Ladysmith is a city in the Uthukela District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is north-west of Durban and south of Johannesburg. Important industries in the area include food processing, textile and tyre production...   476 FALY 28°34′S 29°46′E
AFB Langebaanweg AFB Langebaanweg AFB Langebaanweg is an airbase of the South African Air Force.The base motto is Tenax Propisiti Vinco – Through Tenacity Comes Success.- Units Hosted :* Central Flying School - Pilot and Instructor Training* 2 Air Servicing Unit - Technical Support...   714 FALW 32°58′S 18°10′E
Levubu 182 23°5′S 30°17′E
Lydenburg 184 25°6′S 30°28′E
Macuville 180 22°16′S 29°54′E
Mafikeng 242 FAMM 25°47′S 25°32′E
Makatini 400 27°24′S 32°11′E
Mara 176 23°9′S 29°34′E
Marion Island  994 FAME 46°53′S 37°52′E
Marnitz 162 23°9′S 28°13′E
Matatiele 570 30°21′S 28°48′E
Middelburg 638 FAMB 31°29′S 25°2′E
Mossel Bay 928 FAMO 34°11′S 22°9′E
Nelspruit 288 FANS 25°26′S 30°59′E
Newcastle 378 27°44′S 29°55′E
OR Tambo International Airport  368 FAJS 26°8′S 28°14′E
Ottosdal 342 26°49′S 26°1′E
Oudestad 272 25°11′S 29°20′E
Oudtshoorn 826 FAOH 33°34′S 22°13′E
Phalaborwa 190 FAPH 23°56′S 31°9′E
Pietersburg 174 FAPB 23°52′S 29°27′E
Piet Retief 388 27°2′S 30°48′E
Pilansberg 250 25°20′S 27°10′E
Plessisdraai 344 27°59′S 26°8′E
Pofadder 416 29°8′S 19°23′E
Port Elizabeth Airport Port Elizabeth Airport Port Elizabeth Airport , formerly H. F. Verwoerd Airport, is an airport situated in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The airport is owned and operated by the Airports Company South Africa which also operates nine other airports around South Africa....   842 FAPE 33°59′S 25°36′E
Port Nolloth 408 29°14′S 16°52′E
Port Shepstone 584 30°44′S 30°27′E
Port St Johns 674 FAPJ 31°38′S 29°33′E
Postmasburg 430 28°19′S 23°4′E
Potchefstroom Agric. 350 26°44′S 27°4′E
Potchefstroom Upper-Air 351 26°40′S 27°6′E
Potgietersrus 276 24°11′S 29°1′E
Pretoria Pretoria Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...  (Irene) 263 FAIR 25°55′S 28°13′E
Pretoria Pretoria Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...   262 FAPR 25°44′S 28°11′E
Prieska 528 29°40′S 22°45′E
Queenstown 648 FAQT 31°54′S 26°52′E
Richard Bay 498 FARB 28°48′S 32°6′E
Riversdale 926 34°5′S 21°15′E
Robertson 718 33°50′S 19°54′E
Rustenburg 252 25°43′S 27°18′E
Shaleburn 572 29°48′S 29°21′E
Sheeprun 564 30°59′S 28°23′E
Skukuza 296 24°59′S 31°36′E
Somerset East 742 32°44′S 25°35′E
Springbok 512 FASB 29°40′S 17°52′E
Standerton 372 26°56′S 29°14′E
Sutherland Sutherland, Northern Cape - External links :* * *...   722 32°23′S 20°40′E
Taung 336 27°33′S 24°46′E
Thabazimbi 254 24°35′S 27°25′E
Thohoyandou 192 22°58′S 30°30′E
Touws River 818 33°21′S 20°3′E
Tristan Da Cunha 902 FATC 37°3′S 12°19′W
Tswelopele 284 24°39′S 30°17′E
Twee Riviere 322 26°28′S 20°37′E
Tzaneen 186 23°50′S 30°9′E
Umtata 668 FAUT 31°32′S 28°40′E
Upington Airport Upington Airport Upington Airport is an airport located in Upington, Northern Cape, South Africa. At 4900 metres, runway 17/35 is one of the longest runways in the world...   424 FAUP 28°24′S 21°16′E
Vanwyksvlei 524 30°21′S 21°49′E
Vanzylsrus 330 26°53′S 22°3′E
Vredendal 614 FAVR 31°40′S 18°30′E
Vryburg 338 FAVB 26°57′S 24°38′E
Warmbaths 268 24°54′S 28°20′E
AFB Waterkloof AFB Waterkloof Air Force Base Waterkloof is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is situated on the outskirts of Pretoria, and is the SAAF's busiest airbase.The base's name, Waterkloof, is Afrikaans, it means Water Ravine in English....   264 FAWK 25°50′S 28°13′E
Welkom 346 FAWM 28°00′S 26°40′E
Wepener 550 29°44′S 27°2′E
Willowmore 832 33°17′S 23°30′E

Weather radar

Near real-time (~5 minutes delay) weather radar

Weather radar

Weather radar, also called weather surveillance radar and Doppler weather radar, is a type of radar used to locate precipitation, calculate its motion, estimate its type . Modern weather radars are mostly pulse-Doppler radars, capable of detecting the motion of rain droplets in addition to the...

 is available for most of the country, even within the Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers and extends from north to south and from east to west.To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is...

.

Weather modification

The SAWS, in cooperation with a number of other entities, is actively involved in weather control

Weather control

Weather control is the act of manipulating or altering certain aspects of the environment to produce desirable changes in weather. Weather control can have the goal of preventing damaging weather, such as hurricanes or tornadoes, from occurring; of causing beneficial weather, such as rainfall in...

 research under the South African National Precipitation Research and Rainfall Enhancement Programme, specifically with the Bethlehem Precipitation Research Project

See also

• South African National Antarctic Programme
  South African National Antarctic Programme
  The South African National Antarctic Programme is the South African government's program for research in the Antarctic and Subantarctic. Three research stations fall under this program, the Antarctica research station SANAE IV, and two stations named after the subantartic island that they can be...
  
  
• World Meteorological Organization
  World Meteorological Organization
  The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
  
  

External links

• South African Weather Service
• Near real-time weather radar