Data rescue and quality control of historical climate data

Data rescue and quality control of historical climate data

1.Host Institution:
Kenya Meteorological Department, P.0. Box 30259-00100, Dagoretti Corner, Ngong Road GPO, Nairobi- Kenya

2.Supervisors:
(1) Stella Aura, MBS – Kenya Meteorological Department, director@meteo.go.ke; r_stll@yahoo.com
(2) Dr. Richard Muita – Kenya Meteorological Department, rukwaro2003@yahoo.co.uk
(3) Shadrack Kibet – Kenya Meteorological Society (shadrackkibet36@gmail.com)

3. Project Description:

The intern will join the data team at the Data Processing Unit at Kenya Meteorological Department and also the Institute for Meteorological Training and Research. The intern will mainly work to deliver on the project objectives which include:

(1) To review and validate existing quality control procedures and software used such as Climsoft and work towards addressing existing gaps;

(2) Developing suitable data quality and archival management procedures;

(3) Validate existing data rescue methods and undertake rescue and reconstructions (including using novel data gaps filling approaches); and

(4) Data analysis and management (including software validation and improvement, quality control checks procedures, data processing [including big data and mining] archival and automation and data sharing procedures among others).

Meteorological data is collected from various observation stations and networks including through Automatic Weather Stations for KMD and others. The observations are recorded in the appropriate paper registers. At the data processing unit data is converted into digital format using data entry and archival system. Other data sets are sent through text messages or via a call service. This often bears numerous challenges including missing or erroneously captured data, destruction of paper records and invalid entry into the system, among others.

In other words, the work will involve improvement, optimization and addition of more checks that improve quality of data and its use for various applications including forecasting. This means that the intern will optimize or develop new procedures and other data management approaches that will be used to improve Kenyan meteorological data.

4. Project Expected Outcomes

The long-term goal of this internship project is to improve the quality control procedures of all data observations at the KMD and is expected to:

(1) Improve capacity on data rescue, quality checks, procedures and overall data management. This may later be used to benchmark and upscale the data procedures for other National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in the region;

(2) Increase data ingestion and use within the Numerical Weather Prediction Unit, Medium and long range Forecasting, Research and in the Global Telecommunication System of the World Meteorological Organization and improve the quality of weather and climate forecasts in Kenya and the region; and

(3) Improved quality of weather and climate products and services leading to improved decision making by farmers and others sectors in the management of weather and climate variability, changes and extremes.

Applications for this internship should be submitted via the online application system, stating clearly the title of the internship.

Deadline for applications: February 28th, 2021 at 11:59 PM Central Africa Time (CAT)

Any inquiries about these internships should be sent to:
aims-ms4cr.internship@nexteinstein.org.