Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

World + 4 more

USAID-OFDA Hydrometeorological Hazards Sector Update, Fiscal Year 2018

Attachments

An Introduction to Hydrometeorological Hazards

The UN defines hydrometeorological hazards as processes or phenomena of atmospheric, hydrological, or oceanographic nature that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage. Hydrometeorological hazards include cyclones, drought, floods, heatwaves, heavy snowfall, storms, and storm surges, but can also influence other hazards, such as epidemics, landslides, locust plagues, and wildfires.

Ready, Responsible, and Resilient: Weather Ready Nations

The Weather Ready Nations (WRN) program strengthens countries’ preparedness for extreme climate, water, and weather-related events. WRN builds the capacity of national meteorological and hydrological services (NMHSs) and national disaster management agencies to improve the use of weather and hydrology information, shifting the focus of weather services from providing numerical weather forecasts to describing the potential impacts of the predicted weather. With improved and actionable information, emergency managers, first responders, government officials, businesses, and the public are able to make informed, timely, and appropriate decisions to save lives and property and preserve livelihoods.

USAID/OFDA, the U.S. National Weather Service, and the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) are collaborating with partner NMHSs in Barbados, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Indonesia, and South Africa to implement WRN, with expansion to additional countries planned for FY 2019.