RA I In-Country Tropical Cyclone Training by RSMC La Reunion
From September 14 to 18, 2026, the RSMC (Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre) of La Réunion (France) and the National Meteorological Service of Madagascar launched the first "in-country" training in Region I (Africa) of the WMO, focused on tropical cyclones, held in Antananarivo.
This new format aims to train meteorologists directly in their national services, expanding access beyond the traditional regional workshops held every two years at the RSMC.
The training targeted over 30 forecasters of the national meteorological service of Madagascar, strengthening their operational skills in tropical cyclone analysis, forecasting, and risk assessment, using tools like satellite imagery and the Dvorak technique.
It covered tropical cyclone formation mechanisms, trajectory and intensity factors, and practical exercises based on recent events like tropical cyclone GEZANI (February 2026) and GAMANE.
The program also included numerical weather prediction, forecast verification, atypical systems, and monthly cyclone activity forecasting for the Southwest Indian Ocean.
This training course received funding from the CREWS-SWIO project, with support from partners like the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the NGO START NETWORK as well as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
This initiative aligns with the WMO’s competency framework for cyclone forecasters and the Southwest Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclone Committee’s action plan.
This "in-country" model complements the RSMC’s long-standing regional training and reinforces its role as a hub for tropical cyclone expertise in the Indian Ocean and beyond.