Seven locations selected for automated weather stations

The UAE Meteorological Department has selected seven locations for new automated weather stations, with the installation starting next week.

A team of experts will start work on the project from Sunday, said a senior official of the department that operates under the Ministry of Communications.

The hi-tech stations will help the Met Department collect accurate information. The department recently conducted a survey, selecting seven points to install equipment worth millions of dirhams.

These points are: Liwa (Abu Dhabi), Marqaab (Dubai), Al Dhaid (Sharjah), Kalba (Sharjah near Fujairah), Masfut (Ajman near UAE-Oman border), Al Hulaila Island (Ras Al Khaimah) and Dibba (Fujairah).

"The stations will enable the Met Department to save time and effort and collect fast and accurate data required for weather forecasting and climatic changes," said Sheikha Mowza Ali Hamad Al Mualla, Director of the Met Department.

Sheikha Mowza, who is also the UAE's Permanent Representative at the Geneva-based the World Meteorological Organi-sation (WMO), said the stations will be installed by a European company under an agreement that also covers technical backup.

Khalid Masood Zaidi, a senior meteorologist at the department, said the first three stations will be installed jointly by foreign technicians and those from the department.

The experts at the department, with the technical help of equipment suppliers, will install the remaining four.

The first three stations are expected to be ready by December 20. Zaidi said these stations will be linked to the head office in Abu Dhabi.

"All the systems will be controlled by the Abu Dhabi office. The stations will operate automatically, sending data regularly to the head office."

The department now collects weather information from individually run organisations across the country. Information and readings are collected manually.

He said the department has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the German Meteorological Services to train UAE nationals.

He said: "We also have a plan to upgrade the equipment installed at the head office. The project will start after the seven stations are installed."