Meteorological Services Department of Zimbabwe

Name

Meteorological Services Department of Zimbabwe

Legal name

Meteorological Services Department Of Zimbabwe

Website

https://weatherzw.org.zw

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Meteorological Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Monitoring, Data & Reporting (Air/Water/Soil) (BPAIAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Climate Risk & Scenario Analysis (TCFD/IFRS S2) (EUAHAJAD)

Keywords

• Weather forecasting services
• Climate monitoring
• Agrometeorological bulletins
• Seismological monitoring
• Aviation meteorology

Headquarters

HQ city

Harare

HQ country

Zimbabwe

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: MSD operates as a government department under the Ministry of Environment, Climate & Wildlife, funded through government budgetary allocations. Services are provided as public goods at no direct cost to citizens.

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Meteorological Services Department of Zimbabwe is the national authority providing official weather, climate, aviation meteorology, agrometeorology, and seismological services across Zimbabwe. It produces daily and weekly weather forecasts, seasonal climate forecasts and rainfall reports, agrometeorological bulletins (Weekly Rainfall Bulletin, Dekadal Agromet Bulletin, Seasonal Monitor), seismology bulletins, severe weather CAP alerts, and aviation weather products (METAR, terminal forecasts) through a nationwide 50-station observation network, EUMETSAT satellite imagery integration, and the Climsoft Web real-time data platform.

Product overview

The Meteorological Services Department of Zimbabwe operates as a unified national weather and climate services platform providing comprehensive meteorological and seismological products. The core offering consists of daily and weekly weather forecasts with regional specificity, complemented by a suite of climate products including seasonal forecasts and rainfall reports. Specialized services include agrometeorology products (Weekly Rainfall Bulletin, Dekadal Agromet Bulletin, Seasonal Monitor Bulletin) supporting agricultural decision-making, seismology bulletins analyzing seismic events, and aviation weather services. Supporting infrastructure includes an interactive Mapviewer, live Satellite Imagery from EUMETSAT, a nationwide Stations Network of 50 meteorological stations, and real-time data transmission via Climsoft_Web and WMO's WDQMS. Early warning capability is delivered through CAP-formatted alerts. The product portfolio serves diverse sectors including agriculture, aviation, water resources, and disaster risk reduction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Daily Weather Forecast Provides accurate and timely daily updates on weather conditions across different regions of Zimbabwe, helping residents and businesses prepare for the day ahead.
• Weekly Forecast Offers a comprehensive weekly weather outlook enabling effective planning for citizens, farmers, and businesses based on accurate meteorological data.
• Weekly Rainfall Bulletin Weekly bulletin providing rainfall data and analysis for agricultural planning and crop management decisions.
• Dekadal Agromet Bulletin Ten-day agricultural meteorology bulletin providing climate and weather information tailored for farming communities.
• Seasonal Monitor Bulletin Bulletin tracking seasonal climate patterns and anomalies to support long-term agricultural and water resource planning.
• Seasonal Rainfall Reports Comprehensive reports analyzing seasonal rainfall trends and patterns across Zimbabwe.
• Seasonal Forecast Long-range weather predictions for seasonal planning in agriculture, water resources, and disaster preparedness.
• Seismology Bulletins Monthly bulletins analyzing seismic activities including local, regional, and teleseismic events with potential impact assessments.
• CAP Severe Weather Alerts Common Alert Protocol (CAP) formatted severe weather warnings and alerts for public safety and disaster preparedness.
• Mapviewer Interactive Platform Interactive mapping platform for exploring weather data, station networks, and geographical climate information across Zimbabwe.
• Satellite Imagery Display Live satellite imagery display including Natural Colour RGB, Active Fire Monitoring, Dust RGB, Precipitation rate, and Cloud Top Height from EUMETSAT Meteosat-9 at 45.5° E satellites.
• Meteorological Stations Network Nationwide network of approximately 50 meteorological stations including manual and automatic weather stations (AWS) providing observational data across Zimbabwe.
• Climsoft Web Real-Time Data Integration Web-based platform for real-time meteorological data entry, quality control, archiving, and accessibility across stations. Deployed to 25 selected stations with continuous rollout.
• Aviation Meteorological Products Dedicated aviation meteorological products including METAR observations, terminal forecasts, and aviation weather reports for the aviation industry operating in Zimbabwe.

Quantifiable outcome

• 538+ daily weather forecasts produced and archived, serving all regions of Zimbabwe
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• World Food Programme (WFP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2025Collaborative effort between MSD and WFP on the 2024-25 Rainy Season and Drought Anticipatory Action System evaluation. MSD provides meteorological expertise and climate data while WFP contributes to humanitarian early action frameworks and implementation support.
• World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSD operates under WMO guidelines and standards, participating in global meteorological networks including GOS (Global Observing System), GBON (Global Basic Observing Network), and RBON (Regional Basic Observing Network). Contributes to international data exchange and early warning initiatives.
• IDEMS (Innovations in Development, Education and Mathematical Sciences)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical partner working with MSD under the UNDP GCF project since December 2024 to modernize internal data systems. Responsible for Climsoft Web platform deployment, configuration, and training for real-time meteorological data integration.
• Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint implementation partner with MSD on GCF project strategic component for expanding weather and climate information. MSD provides meteorological data while ZINWA contributes hydrological expertise and water resource management data for integrated climate services.
• Department of Irrigation (DoI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStakeholder receiving real-time meteorological data from MSD through the Climsoft Web platform for irrigation planning and water resource management decisions.
• Department of Agricultural Technical and Extension Services (AGRITEX)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStakeholder with access to real-time meteorological data via Climsoft Web for agricultural extension services, providing climate-smart farming advice to farmers.
• Safe4All AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAFE4ALL (Safeguarding African Foodsheds and Ecosystems for all Actors) project funded by Horizon Europe Framework Programme. MSD partners with Safe4All Africa and Zimbabwe Farmers' Union to address food security, disaster management, and migration through climate information services. Includes Living Lab workshops and digital tools like Uliza-WI Chatbot.
• Zimbabwe Farmers' UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAFE4ALL project partner working with MSD to enhance resilience of local food systems by providing scalable climate information services to farmers, helping stabilize agricultural activities and mitigate drought and flood impacts.
• Department of Civil Protection (DCP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leader with MSD of the National Action-Based Forecasting framework under the WISER ActionFirst™ initiative. Workshop bringing together government, humanitarian organizations, academia, civil society, and private sector to develop Zimbabwe's National Action-Based Forecasting Roadmap.
• WISER (Weather and Climate Information Services for Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWISER ActionFirst™ initiative supporting MSD and DCP in strengthening Action-Based Forecasting and ensuring early warnings translate into timely, coordinated early action. Supports Early Warnings for All agenda.
• Ministry of Environment, Climate & WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent ministry under which MSD operates. The 2024-2025 Strategic Plan is aligned with National Development Strategy 1 (2021-2025) and National Vision 2030 for achieving upper middle income economy.
• EUMETSATmajorTechnology or IntegrationEuropean Organisation for the Exploitation of Satellite Systems providing satellite imagery data from Meteosat-9 for Natural Colour RGB, Active Fire Monitoring, Dust RGB, Precipitation rate, and Cloud Top Height products.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• AccuWeather: Global commercial weather forecasting company providing alerts, forecasts, and data products across multiple channels. Comparable in product mix (forecasts, severe weather warnings, agrometeorology) but operates commercially rather than as a government mandate.
• ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts): Intergovernmental organization producing global numerical weather predictions and climate reanalysis. MSD contributes observations to and consumes outputs from ECMWF; comparable as a forecast-producing institution though with global rather than national scope.
• Met Office (UK): UK's national meteorological service with global forecasting, climate, and research capability. Comparable as a WMO-aligned national met service with aviation, climate, and public safety mandates, though at vastly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA): Tanzania's national meteorological authority issuing forecasts, warnings, and climate services. Directly comparable in scope, regulatory role, and dependence on WMO/international partnerships.
• Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA): Uganda's statutory meteorological authority delivering weather and climate services. Comparable in being a national agency covering agriculture, aviation, and disaster preparedness across East Africa.
• Mozambique National Meteorology Institute (INAM): Mozambique's national met agency providing weather, climate, and seismic monitoring. Comparable SADC-region peer with similar tropical-climate focus and disaster risk reduction mandate.
• South African Weather Service (SAWS): Statutory national meteorological agency of South Africa delivering weather, climate, aviation, and marine forecasting. Closest regional peer with comparable mandate, multi-channel alert distribution, and aviation METAR/TAF products.
• Kenya Meteorological Department: Kenya's official meteorological authority providing weather, climate, and agrometeorological services. Closely comparable as an African national met service with similar aviation, agricultural, and disaster risk reduction mandates.
• Zambia Meteorological Department: Zambia's national meteorological department operating under similar SADC and WMO frameworks. Directly comparable mandate for weather, climate, and agrometeorological services.

Emerging players

• Tomorrow.io: Weather intelligence platform combining proprietary satellites, forecasting APIs, and AI-driven nowcasting. Comparable as an emerging weather/climate data provider serving aviation, agriculture, and government segments with modern technology stack.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/meteorological-services-department-of-zimbabwe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Meteorological Services Department of Zimbabwe