Lesotho

Lesotho Meteorological Services, LMS

The project has had a very positive impact on the Lesotho Meteorological Services. The installation of the satellite reception capability at the Moshoeshoe International Airport has improved the quality of aeronautical services and weather forecasts. The establishment of an automatic weather station at Letseng-la-Terai will save lives and contribute towards national disaster preparedness and prevention by giving timely warnings of sudden changes in the weather, particularly for the vulnerable mountain people.The development of a computer-based data bank has enabled the LMS to meet its obligations to the massive Lesotho Highlands Water Project. Water is the country’s most valuable resource. The Meteorological Service has developed a close operational co-operation with the Department of Energy, which has seen the use of meteorological data in the design and construction of four hydrological plants. Meteorological data has again been used in studies to assess wind and solar potential. The Meteorological Service has also developed close operational links with agencies responsible for the conservation of the environment, especially in soil and rangeland protection. These organisations value the importance of the meteorological data banks intheir activities. Improved data management facilities and qualified staff have allowed the Service to publish two bulletins: the Monthly Weather Bulletin and the ten-day Agrometeorological Bulletin.

Lesotho’s weather and climate are perhaps the most problematic and harshest in the region. Weather elements, especially temperature, are highly variable even from day to day. An early frost can damage the whole maize crop. Droughts, floods, severe local storms, hail, strong winds, and snowfall occur frequently. Losses of human and animal lives as a direct result of the weather are recorded almost every year. The country is very mountainous, containing over-exploited steep terrain so that ecosystem is very fragile, displaying a high level of degradation, especially through soil erosion. The conditions in Lesotho therefore demand a strong and active National Meteorological Service.

Capacity building