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Mauritius Meteorological Services

The Royal Alfred Observatory, as the Meteorological Services was originally known, was established in 1874 as a Government Department in Pamplemousses which is located in the north of Mauritius. However, meteorological observations started as far back as 1774 at the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden by its Director, Mr N. de Cere after requiring his personal barometer and thermometer.

The first meteorological outstation was set up at Rodrigues in 1902 and much later at St. Brandon (1945) and Agalega (1945).

The main activity of the Meteorological Services is the preparation and dissemination, through audio and visual means, of weather forecast and warning in case of a cyclone threat and flooding, for the benefit of the general public and marine users. It is also responsible within the framework of the Global Maritime Distress Service System (GMDSS) for the preparation and issuance of weather and sea forecast for international shipping for the areas (i) between the Equator and Latitude 30°S and longitude 55°E and 95°E and (ii) between the Equator and latitude 10°S and the African Coast and Longitude 55°E.

Besides several inland synoptic and rainfall stations, it operates and maintains 10 Automatic Weather Stations which are located near the coast around the island. Data on air temperature, rainfall, humidity, winds representative of the marine environment are transmitted at half-hour intervals regularly every three hour to the receiving station at the Meteorological Headquarters, Vacoas. Two sea level stations were established in 1986 in the context of the Tropical Ocean and Global atmosphere Programme (TOGA) at Trou Fanfaron Fishing Port, Port Louis and Port Mathurin, Rodrigues. These two stations now form part of the Global Sea Level Service System Network (GLOSS), which is a programme of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). A wave-rider buoy was deployed in May 1996 off Blue-Bay on the South-East Coast of Mauritius to monitor wave parameters and sea-surface temperature. Systematic and routine measurement of sea-surface temperature are made on a daily basis near the coast at St. Brandon and Rodrigues by Meteorological Personnel.

Meteorological observations from merchant ships plying the Indian Ocean are obtained on a routine basis at the Meteorological Services for operational purposes. Air and sea surface temperature and atmospheric pressure are also received from drifting buoys in the South Indian Ocean.

The Meteorological Services is fully involved with the activities of the IOC of UNESCO and is an active member of the IOC Regional Committee for the regional Investigation of the North and Central West Indian Ocean (IOCINCWIO). It is participating in the various programmes of the WMO/IOC (UNESCO) Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology including the GMDSS, the WMO/IOC, Marine Pollution Emergency Response Service Systems (MPERSS), GLOSS and the Western Indian Ocean Marine Application Project (WIOMAP) which is a regional contribution of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). The Marine Division is contributing to the implementation of Chapter 17 (Protection of the Ocean) of Agenda 21.

More emphasis is being laid on the application of meteorology including marine meteorology and related oceanographic activities for socio-economic development in Mauritius. The Marine Division is staffed by 2 divisional meteorologists, a Principal Meteorological Technician, 2 Senior Meteorological Technician and 2 Meteorological Technician under the supervision of a senior official.

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