Ella presenting work at the Ghana workshop: Image: Ella Thomas
In June 2026, UNRISK CDT student Ella Thomas travelled to Ghana for a nowcasting testbed with the Early Warnings for Energy (EW4Energy) project, with researchers from the two universities in Ghana and forecasters from the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet). The aim was to test new rainfall forecasting products. Each day, the group produced and evaluated short-term forecasts, assessing the predictions against satellite retrievals and ground-based rainfall observations.
Ella writes:
“Tropical weather is challenging to predict. Storms can initiate with little warning and change in dramatic ways. The new products provided useful information on current rainfall, storm initiation and propagation. The collaboration meant that researchers could understand the challenges of operational forecasting, while forecasters had time to learn about useful new products. Everyone brought unique knowledge and perspectives, and I learnt a lot.
The testbed highlighted how much scope there is to improve forecasting and early warnings in West Africa. The urgency of this was clear during our trip; heavy rainfall caused flooding in Accra on June 3rd, and a flood on June 29th claimed 13 lives. My project focuses on the impacts of climate change in end-of-the-century projections, but this trip demonstrated how climate change has already dramatically altered the weather in West Africa, with devastating consequences.”
