Most National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in the Pacific still depend on proprietary “black box” software to generate the climate products their countries rely on. The tools work, but the people using them can’t see inside them, can’t adapt them, and can’t fix them when something breaks. If that one staff member who knows how to run a critical script leaves, the climate product stops being produced.  When this happens, the bulletin does not go out to those who rely on them, and the seasonal outlook doesn’t get updated.

As climate‑related hazards intensify, the demand for accurate, timely and easy‑to‑use forecasts has never been higher, especially for sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, transport, tourism and disaster management.

11 February, Apia – More Pacific girls are being encouraged to see themselves as future leaders in weather and climate science, following an interactive International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) event held today in Apia.