About The Knowledge Center
The Knowledge Center aims to support the implementing partners of the Weather Ready Nations projects worldwide and advance knowledge and exploration by sharing information, resources, and best practices of Impact-Based Forecasting and Early Warning Services.
El Salvador, San Salvador 5 June 2020. Tropical Storm Amanda hit El Salvador on May 31 causing considerable damage to main roads and infrastructure nationwide. In the photo: Damage in New Israel community in San Salvador, following the heavy rainfall. Photo: WFP/Mauricio Martinez
Each year, severe hydrometeorological events worldwide give rise to multiple casualties and significant damage to property and infrastructure, with adverse economic consequences for communities, which can persist for many years. All this happens despite good forecasts of many of these severe events, with accurate warning information disseminated in a timely fashion by the responsible National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and National Disaster Management Agencies (NDMAs).
International Weather Ready Nations (WRNs)
The Weather Ready Nations (WRNs) project is an impact-based forecasting and early warning services approach. The aim is to produce local scale impact-based forecasts and warnings that influence the recipient’s response to the hazardous events and understanding of potential impacts that translate into a higher level of protective actions, thus mitigating the impacts of severe hydrometeorological events.
The project aims to assist countries to go beyond producing accurate forecasts and timely warnings to understand better and anticipate the likely human and economic impacts due to severe weather. Then communicate information that fosters preparedness in individuals, groups, and institutions in mobilization (wanting to act) and empowerment (knowing what to do).
Recognizing the transformative role of impact-based forecasting and warning in risk mitigation and reduction, the NMHSs and NDMAs of El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Barbados, South Africa, Jamaica, Bahamas, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, St. Lucia, Granada, Fiji and Palau, have implemented or are currently in the process of implementing a Weather Ready Nations (WRNs) approach to building weather, water and climate-resilient countries
HRC is the lead technical organization supporting the U.S. National Weather Service International Affairs Office in developing and implementing the WRNs. WRNs build upon the essential ideas of the Weather Ready Nation program in the U.S., the Impact-based Decision Support Services in Europe and the United Kingdom, as well as the World Meteorological Organization Publication No. 1150 and WMO 1150 Part II – Putting Multi-Hazard IBFWS into Practice.
What has made WRNs successful:
- Has REACH
- Is INTEGRAL and INTEGRATIVE
- Is TRUSTED (reliability, accuracy)
- Is USEFUL (relevant, understood, acted upon)
- Has BENEFIT (optimizes, value for money)
- Is SUSTAINABLE (responds, improves)
- Is USER DRIVEN (service delivery principles