Meteo Rwanda Set to Launch Upper-Air Weather Balloon to Enhance Accurate Forecasts

Rwanda’s national meteorology agency, Meteo Rwanda, has announced plans to introduce new technology aimed at collecting data that captures even the smallest atmospheric changes. As part of this initiative, the agency is set to launch a weather balloon in September this year, which will reach an altitude of 32 kilometres and capture high-altitude weather data.

Weather balloons carry instruments that collect precise measurements of meteorological elements such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, wind speed, and wind direction at upper atmospheric levels. These readings provide critical information that deepens the understanding of the climate.

The weather balloon will be an addition to the approximately 300 meteorological stations already in operation across the country. These include 13 agro-synoptic weather stations, 132 community-based volunteer stations, 107 automatic weather stations, and others. The first station was installed at Save in 1906. However, observations of rainfall and temperature were established in the 1930s.

Anthony Twahirwa, Division Manager of Weather/Climate services at Meteo Rwanda, explained that increasing the number and quality of measuring instruments, including those relying on satellite data, helps to deliver more reliable weather information.

He said, “Meteo Rwanda’s goal is to acquire technology that allows us to monitor the atmosphere with greater precision, even at a micro-scale. Our mandate is to ensure the safety of people and property, so that no matter how extreme the weather, it does not endanger lives or livelihoods.”

“This weather balloon will provide clear data on temperature, cold fronts, wind patterns, and all other key indicators of weather conditions,” he added.

Meteo Rwanda’s data supports a wide range of sectors, including research, agriculture, livestock farming, urban planning, energy, and aviation.

The agency also collaborates with institutions such as the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA), which relies on real-time rainfall data to organise emergency responses to disasters such as landslides.

“RTDA [Rwanda Transport Development Agency] cannot award a contract unless the contractor provides detailed information about the conditions of the area where the road is to be built. It requires every contractor to present climate information in their road design studies to ensure roads are climate resilient,” said Dr Védaste Iyakaremye, Division Manager in charge of Data Observation, Quality Control and Processing at Meteo Rwanda.

Twahirwa further urged the public to use Meteo’s data and apply it to their daily activities, noting that the government established the agency specifically to serve Rwandans and all those operating within the country. He also emphasized that the information provided by Meteo Rwanda is available free of charge.

What causes lightning?

Twahirwa explained that there are ten types of clouds, each contributing to different weather conditions, including varying levels of rainfall.

“Lightning originates from cumulonimbus clouds, which carry a high level of moisture and contain both upward and downward air currents. These turbulent movements result in friction, which, combined with hail, generates electric charges—leading to lightning and the accompanying thunder,” he said.

What happens when Meteo forecasts rain but it doesn’t rain?

Twahirwa admitted that there are occasions when weather forecasts do not match actual conditions, which is why the term ‘forecast’ is used.

“One key reason is wind. A rain cloud may be about to release rainfall, but strong winds can blow it away, in Uganda, for example. In that case, we have no way of instructing the wind to pause until the cloud releases rain. Another scenario is where a hot air mass develops and disperses the cloud before it rains, leaving people wondering where the expected rain went,” he said.

Twahirwa confirmed that signs of climate change are evident in Rwanda and the region, such as rising temperatures and melting snow on mountain ranges like the Virunga and Kilimanjaro. This has led to increased water levels in lakes and oceans.

Vehicle emissions, he noted, are also a serious problem. The gases they emit linger in the atmosphere for thousands of years, causing long-term damage. These pollutants even affect rainwater, which falls back to Earth already contaminated.

“One of the consequences is irregular rainfall—sometimes we expect rain that never comes, or it rains heavily all in one day instead of being spread out over a month. These shifts are becoming more noticeable,” he concluded.