This is a list of functions of the Kenya Meteorological Department. Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) started as a small colonial service for East Africa in 1929. It became a department of the Government of Kenya in 1977, after the collapse of the East African Community. (EAC)
KMD is one of the departments under the Directorate of Environment, in the Ministry of Environment & Forestry. The department’s vision is to become a leading, world-class operational forecasting centre and scientific institution that provides optimum contribution to improved quality of life.
Here is a list of key functions of the Kenya Meteorological Department.
1. Provision of meteorological and climatological services to agriculture, forestry, water resources management, civil aviation and the private sector including industry, commerce and public utilities for the better exploitation and utilization of natural resources for the national department.
2. The evolvement of suitable training programmes in all fields of meteorology and other related scientific subjects which are relevant to the development of Kenya and other countries that participate in the department’s training activities.
3. Provision of meteorological services to shipping in the western Indian Ocean including the issuing of cyclone warnings for the safety of merchant and other ships.
4. Provision of meteorological services to the military aviation for the safety of the Kenya Airforce aircraft for national defence.
5. Organisation and administration of surface and upper air meteorological observation within its area of responsibility and the publication of climatological data.
6. Maintenance of an efficient telecommunications system for rapid collection and dissemination of meteorological information required for national and international use in accordance with the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) procedures.
7. Co-ordination of research in meteorology and climatology including co-operation with other authorities in all aspects of applied meteorological research, and the maintenance of the National Meteorological Library.
