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| Morocco's National Meteorological Directorate | |
|---|---|
| Name | Morocco's National Meteorological Directorate |
| Formation | 1916 |
| Headquarters | Rabat |
| Region served | Morocco |
| Parent organization | Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water |
Morocco's National Meteorological Directorate is the national agency responsible for meteorological observation, forecasting, climatology, and hydrometeorological services in Morocco. It operates a network of stations, synoptic posts, radiosonde launches and radars, and collaborates with international bodies such as the World Meteorological Organization, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The directorate supports sectors including aviation, maritime navigation, agriculture, and civil protection across regions such as Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, and Agadir.
The service traces origins to early 20th-century synoptic stations established under the French Protectorate in Morocco and formalized operations in the 1910s concurrent with Mediterranean meteorological initiatives like the International Meteorological Organization. Post-independence reforms linked the agency to national planning during the reign of Mohammed V of Morocco and later Hassan II of Morocco, aligning it with infrastructure projects led by ministries tied to transport and water resources. During the late 20th century the directorate expanded networks following major events such as flooding in the Oum Er-Rbia River basin and drought episodes affecting the Souss-Massa region, prompting integration of hydrology with atmospheric services. Engagements with organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme and technical cooperation with agencies like Météo-France further modernized capabilities.
Administratively headquartered in Rabat, the directorate is organized into technical departments for observation, forecasting, climatology, hydrology, aviation meteorology, and information technology. It reports to the Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water and coordinates with regional directorates covering administrative regions including Casablanca-Settat, Fès-Meknès, Marrakesh-Safi, and Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima. Career staffing includes meteorologists trained at institutions such as the Rabat-Salé Airport training programmes, collaborations with universities like Université Mohammed V de Rabat and research partnerships with the Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine. Advisory boards have included experts linked to the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development and the Mediterranean Meteorological Network.
Core services include synoptic and local weather forecasting for civil aviation at airports including Casablanca-Anfa Airport and Marrakesh-Menara Airport, maritime forecasts for ports such as Casablanca Port and Tanger Med, agricultural advisories for the Gharb agricultural plain, and hydrometeorological alerts for river basins like the Sebou River. The directorate issues warnings used by emergency services such as the General Directorate for National Security and regional wilaya administrations during extreme events influenced by systems like the Atlantic storm belt and Saharan intrusions associated with the Sirocco. It provides climatological datasets used by projects such as national water resource planning tied to the Green Morocco Plan and infrastructure resilience programmes influenced by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The observing network comprises surface synoptic stations, automated weather stations (AWS), upper-air sounding sites, and Doppler radar installations. Key installations are located near Rabat-Salé Airport, Oujda-Angads Airport, and coastal observatories along the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea littorals. The network interoperates with satellite services like EUMETSAT and GOES-series reception, and with oceanographic partners at institutions such as the Institut National de Recherche Halieutique. Data exchange occurs with regional arrays including the North African Climate Network and the European Flood Awareness System for transboundary river basins such as the Moulouya River.
Forecast production integrates numerical models from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, regional ensembles, and downscaling applied for Moroccan topography including the Atlas Mountains and Rif Mountains. Research activities address topics like Mediterranean cyclogenesis, convective storms impacting the Tensift plain, and climate change impacts on precipitation regimes relevant to the High Atlas snowpack. Collaborative projects have included modelling work with Météo-France, data assimilation studies with NOAA, and climate impact assessments coordinated with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change national communications. The directorate publishes climatological normals and contributes to peer-reviewed research in journals associated with the World Climate Research Programme.
The directorate is a member of the World Meteorological Organization and engages in technical cooperation with entities such as EUMETSAT, ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, and the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development. It participates in regional initiatives including the Arab Permanent Meteorological Committee and trans-Mediterranean projects under the Union for the Mediterranean. Bilateral agreements have supported capacity building through exchanges with national services like the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) and the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere. It contributes data to global systems such as the Global Telecommunication System and supports humanitarian coordination involving the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies during extreme events.
Recent modernization emphasized automated stations, high-resolution numerical forecasting, web-based dissemination, and mobile alerting for citizens and sectors like aviation and fisheries. Digital platforms provide real-time observation feeds, probabilistic forecasts, and tailored warnings integrating GIS frameworks used by municipal authorities in Casablanca and Marrakesh. Projects funded by multilateral partners have advanced radar coverage, satellite data use with EUMETSAT services, and open-data initiatives aligning with best practices from OpenStreetMap-linked disaster planning. Ongoing priorities include improving data quality control, expanding climate services for agriculture in the Saïss plain, and enhancing resilience to extreme rainfall events influenced by climate variability.
Category:Meteorology in Morocco Category:Government agencies of Morocco