Rwanda has officially inaugurated its first-ever automatic upper-air station in Huye district, marking a major milestone in the country's meteorological and climate monitoring capabilities.
The state-of-the-art facility, established under the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) Project, is among the most advanced weather observation systems in the region. The station is capable of collecting real-time atmospheric data up to 30 kilometres above the Earth's surface, including temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed, and other critical weather indicators.
With an investment of over US$3.5 million and the creation of more than 600 jobs during construction, the project strengthens Rwanda's ability to deliver accurate weather forecasts, support climate adaptation, improve disaster preparedness, and enhance agricultural planning.
Beyond Rwanda, the station will contribute valuable meteorological data to regional and continental forecasting systems, benefiting East Africa and Africa as a whole.