**[REPORT ON SELECTED STAIONS IN ZIMBABWE.]{.underline}**

Harare and Rusape in Zimbabwe were visited from the 18^th^ to the 21^st^
September 2005. The Upper Air station in Harare is situated in the
Department Headquarters in Belvedere. A climate station is situated
about a kilometer to the east of Harare International Airport in
Kutsaga. This is a tobacco research station.

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="2.0in" height="1.5in"}
![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.0in" height="1.5in"}

1.  2

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="2.0in" height="1.50625in"}
![](media/image4.jpeg){width="2.0in" height="1.4930555555555556in"}

3 4

*Harare Met. Headquarters (1) and Hydrogen Generator building (2, 3 and
4).*

Kutsaga climate station has a typical instruments enclosure with basic
measuring instruments and layout. The instruments and the stevenson
screens are a bit old although the instruments are still functional.

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="1.875in" height="1.4131944444444444in"}
![](media/image6.jpeg){width="1.9194444444444445in"
height="1.4465277777777779in"}

1\. screens 2.evaporation pan

![](media/image7.jpeg){width="1.00625in" height="1.3416666666666666in"}
![](media/image8.jpeg){width="1.0194444444444444in"
height="1.3506944444444444in"}
![](media/image9.jpeg){width="1.8486111111111112in"
height="1.386111111111111in"}

3 4 5

The automatic raingauge (3) is not working but the instruments in the
screen (5) are functional. The station has a telephone line and HF radio
for data transfer.

Harare Int. Airport has a weather station that is primarily used for
aeronautical services. The instruments are installed on the rooftop of
the building as depicted below. The wind systems are installed along
runways 23 and 05.

![](media/image10.jpeg){width="1.8930555555555555in"
height="2.5243055555555554in"}
![](media/image11.jpeg){width="1.8666666666666667in" height="2.50625in"}
![](media/image12.jpeg){width="1.875in" height="2.50625in"}

*Stevensons screen, automatic raingauge and Message Switch System at
Harare Int. Airport. The building in the background is the Control
Tower.*

Rusape is about 180km to the south east of Harare. It has at an altitude
of 1442m above mean sea level. The station coordinates are 18 deg 32 min
South and 32 deg 08 min East. It is a typical synoptic station
representative of all synoptic stations in Zimbabwe with basic measuring
instruments and standard method of observation, coding and transmission
of data. The station has been designated a sub collecting center as it
is suitably placed on a high altitude which provides optimum conditions
for HF communication.

The station is not one of the GCOS stations but it was visited because
it was not possible to go the designated GCOS stations due to short of
petrol in the country. The designated stations are far from Harare. The
station was chosen as representative of a typical observing station in
the country.

![](media/image13.jpeg){width="2.6305555555555555in"
height="1.9666666666666666in"}
![](media/image14.jpeg){width="2.657638888888889in"
height="1.9930555555555556in"}

*Rusape met. Office and instruments enclosure.*

Pictures below show some of the instruments at Rusape station.

![](media/image15.jpeg){width="2.4972222222222222in"
height="1.8729166666666666in"}
![](media/image16.jpeg){width="2.4618055555555554in"
height="1.8395833333333333in"}

*1.visibility and direction table. 2.automatic weather station.*

![](media/image17.jpeg){width="2.4972222222222222in"
height="1.8666666666666667in"}
![](media/image18.jpeg){width="2.4972222222222222in"
height="1.8729166666666666in"}

*3.screen with contents. 4.Theisis barogragh (clock not working)*

![](media/image19.jpeg){width="2.4972222222222222in"
height="1.8729166666666666in"}
![](media/image20.jpeg){width="2.4972222222222222in"
height="1.8729166666666666in"}

*5.mode of communication. 6.cup counter anemometer.*

**[Observations:]{.underline}**

Rusape meteorological station is well maintained. The instruments which
are unserviceable are old and needs to be replaced. Most stations in
Zimbabwe have been rehabilitated in terms of instruments. What remains
as a problem is the provision of conventional telecommunication
facilities. These facilities are not available in most parts of the
rural areas where the meteorological stations have been established. In
this regard HF, radio communication is widely used for the collection
and dissemination of met observations. The Director informed us that
computers have been bought and arrangements are being made to install
them within the next three months at stations with telephone facilities.

Transmission of data through the GTS appears to be a problem as the
information transmitted through the Message Switching System is not
relayed back to confirm reception at the Regional Telecommunication Hub
(RTH) in Pretoria. The problem was still being discussed with the
engineers at the RTH.

At the time of our visit the upper air soundings were not being done due
to lack of hydrogen gas following the explosion of their old hydrogen
generating plant. Climat information was also being compiled but using
the old format hence it posed transmission problems.

**[Recommendations:]{.underline}**

Although the Zimbabwean authorities are working hard to improve their
meteorological stations, instruments which are essential for the
observation of data needed under the GCOS stations which are old and
unserviceable should be considered for replacement or should be
provided.

The use of conventional means of communication may take a long time to
resolve. Under the circumstances it may be necessary to look at other
alternative means of communication. Satellite communications may be
considered in addition to HF radio communication. Most stations are each
equipped with a Radio Telephone. In this regard consideration should be
made to have additional radio telephone sets as back up so that there
should be a continuous flow of data.