This is a collection of conceptual models created by operational forecasters within SAWS.

This is a course focusing on the continuous training needs of the SAWS weather forecasters. the course contains material dealing with NWP, Satellite, Forecasting and Radar training.

The course format includes online quizzes, tasks and discussion forums. All forecasters are welcome to partake in the course.

This is the online phase For the upcoming satellite workshop to be hosted in Pretoria in March 2016.

This course focuses on the application and interpretation of severe weather alerts released by the South African Weather Service to Disaster Management structures

An Introductory course on Coastal Meteorology aimed at those that seek to understand the characteristic nature of the coastal environment and its weather.  In order to bring about the optimal and harmonious use of this resource by the vast cross-section of users, there needs to be a sound understanding of it, and the basic meteorological and oceanographic processes that take place within it.

The course will assist the participants in understanding;

• circulation within the coastal ocean,
• coastal atmospheric circulation (including the marine atmospheric boundary layer), as well as 
• ocean-atmosphere interaction processes.

It is hoped that at the end of this course, participants will have attained an enhanced knowledge & understanding of the coastal zone to support strategy and decision-making.  More specifically, participants are expected to gave gained:

• An enhanced knowledge of meteorological processes specific to the coastal zone,
• Improved understanding of the impact of meteorological events on the coastal zone

The Eumetsat Satellite workshop aims to cover basic satellite image interpretation as well as to introduce new techniques in visualizing and manipulating satellite data. This years' course will be more practical and "hands on". the Online phase will run from the 13th October until the 19th November. The workshop itself will be hosted in Pretoria, South Africa, from the 1st to the 5th December 2014.  

The 1-Day Basic Meteorological Understanding course is designed to facilitate an understanding of some basic meteorological concepts for persons without a background in meteorology.  It serves as background for understanding atmospheric processes and as well as the interpretation of weather systems in the Southern Hemisphere, and is regularly presented to new members of staff and key stakeholders.  Primarily, the course seeks to;

• Promote a basic level of meteorological and climatological understanding
• Promote an understanding of the different types of weather instruments and various weather data collection tools, as well as to
• Improve the interpretation of SAWS products

The course included presentations on the following areas of focus;

• The structure and composition of the atmosphere
• The characteristics of surface and upper air circulation
• The classification of different cloud types and precipitation associated with them
• Understand how the meteorological data information is collected, and how it is used in the compilation of a weather forecast, and
• Interpretation of the weather forecast issued by the Weather Service.

Satellite image interpretation and the basics of satellite meteorology

The course content is based on the Information obtained from the new and updated WMO International Cloud Atlas

This page contains notices, information and news that is specific to the forecasting certificate course.

This course is presented within the RTC Pretoria as part of the Post Graduate Certificate: Weather Forecasting

It has 2 components: A Theory component (5 days) and a practical component  (6 months)

The 5 specific outcomes of the Aeronautical Meteorological Forecasters (AMF) course are:

1. Analyse and monitor continuously the weather situation.

2. Forecast aeronautical meteorological phenomena and parameters.

3. Warn of hazardous phenomena.

4. Ensure the quality of meteorological information and services.

5. Communicate meteorological information to internal and external users.

Decoding and interpreting upper air ascent data

remote sensing for the Forecasting certificate students.

This course targets a primary audience of Meteorologists who would like to become competent Aviation Meteorological Forecasters (AMF).

The course has 2 phases: A distance learning phase (4 months) and a classroom phase (1 month) where the practical competency for AMF is developed by forecasting and warning against hazardous weather phenomena using hazardous weather simulations.

This should be read along with chapter three of explain basic meteorological concepts training manual for the National Certificate: Weather Observations. Any other material can also be used should there be a need for more knowledge not covered here and in the training manual. RTC trainers are also accessible for more explanation if necessary.

A brief online learning module on fog and mist

Interpretation of Tephigrams from an observation aspect

Cut-Off Lows form part of the main rain bearing weather systems which bring moderate or heavy rainfall over South Africa.