THE Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) has installed five modern weather radars across the country which have led to improved meteorological services and raised forecast accuracy to 86 percent.

This follows the recent completion of installation of two radars in Mbeya and Kigoma regions as part of efforts by the government to reach the target of installing seven radars by the end of this year, with two others slated for installation by November.

Transport minister Prof Makame Mbarawa said this when tabling budget estimates for the 2024/25 financial year in the National Assembly yesterday, hinting that the two radars are at an advanced stage of construction in the United States.

Upon arrival they will be installed in Kilimanjaro and Dodoma regions to bring to seven the number of weather radars countrywide, he said, elaborating that the government has signed accords for upgrading radars installed in Mwanza and Dar es Salaam, to match with updated technologies.

Installation of the radars has helped TMA carry out daily, weekly and annual weather forecasts whose accuracy has reached 86 percent, way above the 70 percent benchmark set by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), he stated.

In improving meteorological services, the government has finalized the installation of weather monitoring equipment at airports in Songwe, Zanzibar, Mtwara, Arusha and Songea, with similar equipment being installed at airports in Musoma, Iringa, and Mpanda progressively, he said.

Most regions would soon have automatic weather stations installed, he said, noting that due to these improvements, WMO chose Tanzania as a regional specialized meteorological centre for countries around Lake Victoria.

“The centre located in Dar es Salaam serves neighbouring countries of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi,” he added.