By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has installed an automatic weather station and launched a Green Climate Club at Methodist Girls’ High School at Mamfe Akuapem in the Eastern Region as part of efforts to promote weather and climate literacy among students.
The installation forms part of activities marking World Meteorological Day, which is commemorated globally on March 23 but has been expanded locally into a month-long awareness campaign by the agency.
The new facility makes Methodist Girls’ High School the second senior high school in Ghana to host an automatic weather station, after Achimota School in Accra, and the first school in the Eastern Region to benefit from the technology.
The automatic weather station is designed to collect real-time weather data without manual intervention. Unlike traditional weather instruments that require rainfall to be manually measured, the station is fitted with sensors that automatically detect raindrops and record the amount of rainfall.
Data on rainfall, temperature, humidity, and other weather conditions are captured instantly and transmitted electronically. Students and teachers will receive daily updates, including reports sent to their mobile phones, allowing them to track weather conditions within their locality.
The station is powered by solar panels and contains a modem that transmits the collected information through mobile network towers to servers, where the data is processed and stored for analysis and forecasting.
Acting Deputy Director-General in charge of Operations at the Ghana Meteorological Agency, Ignatius Kweku Williams, said the initiative was aimed at improving understanding of weather and climate science among young people.
He noted that although students study weather and climate topics in subjects such as geography, many have limited exposure to the instruments used in collecting meteorological data.
According to him, the installation allows students to see first-hand how weather data is gathered and how forecasts are generated.
Mr Williams said the Green Climate Club would also provide a platform for discussions on climate change and environmental responsibility.
“Climate change is a subject everyone talks about, but young people are not always guided on the practical steps they can take to protect the environment or adapt to the changes we are witnessing,” he said.
He added that encouraging students to share knowledge with their families and communities could help build wider awareness and promote responsible environmental practices.
Mr Williams also referenced Ghana’s recent climate trends, noting that the country recorded one of its highest average temperatures in 2025 within a 35-year period dating back to 1991.
He explained that such developments highlight the importance of monitoring weather patterns closely and strengthening climate observation systems across the country.
The agency has therefore been establishing Green Climate Clubs in schools and installing weather stations in selected locations to support data collection and climate education.
Country Representative for Veriground, John Sanders, whose organisation supported the installation, said the technology is designed to function even in areas without electricity infrastructure.
He explained that the system only requires access to a mobile phone network, as the modem inside the station transmits weather data through nearby cell towers and onward to satellite-linked servers.
Mr Sanders said the system records weather data hourly, allowing scientists and meteorologists to build accurate historical records while artificial intelligence systems analyse the information to generate localized forecasts.
He noted that the initiative is also being rolled out in agricultural communities across Ghana to help farmers plan activities such as applying pre-harvest inputs and preparing for rainfall.
According to him, installing the equipment in schools makes weather science more practical for students.
“It allows them to see how weather forecasts are generated and understand the process in a way that relates directly to their studies,” he said.
Students and teachers at the school expressed appreciation to the agency and its partners for the installation, assuring them that the equipment would be well maintained and used effectively for learning and climate awareness activities.
