About Us
The Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) is the national authority responsible for providing weather, climate, and hydrometeorological services across the country. Operating under the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, ZMD plays a critical role in safeguarding lives, property, and livelihoods by delivering timely and accurate information to support early warning systems, disaster risk reduction, agriculture, aviation, water resource management, and climate change adaptation.
As a member of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), ZMD adheres to international standards and collaborates with regional and global partners to improve forecasting capabilities and strengthen climate resilience. Through investments in modern infrastructure, data collection, and user-focused services, the Department works to enhance national development planning and build a weather- and climate-informed society.
Mission & Vision
Our Mission
“To provide timely, accurate and reliable weather and climate observations, data, forecasts and warnings for protecting life and property, and for enhancing the resilience of society and economy to climate change.”
Our Vision
“By 2023, citizens, institutions and economy in Zambia are resilient to severe weather and climate extreme events associated with climate change by using timely, accurate and high-quality weather and climate services provided by Zambia Meteorological Department.”
Our Organisational Structure
Administratively, the Zambia Meteorological Department is headed by the the Director of Meteorology, who also doubles as the Permanent Representative of the Agency to World Meteorological Organisation. The Director reports to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Green Economy and Environment.
The History of Zambia Meteorological Department
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) was established on 1st January 1967 as a specialized agency under the then Ministry of Power, Transport and Works (now Ministry of Transport and Communications). Prior to its establishment, meteorological services in Zambia were provided by the Federal Meteorological Services (Nyasaland, Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia) with Headquarters in Salisbury, currently known as Harare in Zimbabwe.
Zambia became a member of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1964, the same year she got her independence from Britain. WMO is the United Nations ‘authoritative’ voice on weather, climate and water.
At the time when the ZMD was established the initial focus was on serving the aviation sector. All the professionals (holders of a university degree in meteorology) and technicians (holders of a diploma in meteorology) posts were filled by recruitment from abroad or by secondment from the other National Meteorological Services as there were no qualified Zambians. However, through massive and well-organized training programmes undertaken over the years, the Department was able to fill up most of the key positions with professionals from Zambia by April 1982. Due to high level of staff movements, at the time of preparing this strategic plan, there were only thirteen (13) professional meteorologists, making it a challenge to meet the expanded responsivity that includes providing meteorological services to other sectors beyond aviation such as Agriculture, Water, Energy, Health and Disaster Risk Reduction together with providing climate change data and information to guide adaptation strategies.
Core Values of Zambia Meteorological Department
All staff of ZMD shall be guided by the core values when delivering on its mandate:
a) Visionary Leadership – The staff value leadership that is proactive and open to ideas.
b) Professionalism – The staff are intellectually honest and realistic in their work and ensure that meteorological services are properly supported by data and scientific knowledge.
c) Integrity – The staff always do the right thing, and act with honesty and adhere to the highest ethical standards in all their actions.
d) Teamwork – The staff listen to and respect the views of each other when working together.
e) Honesty – The staff are open and honest in all their dealings.
f) Excellence – The staff are committed to delivering on their responsibilities.
These core values guide the behaviour of staff when performing their duties to achieve our goals and objectives.
The functions and responsibilities of ZMD
a) To establish and maintain a network of surface and upper air stations for observing various weather elements;
b) To organize telecommunications systems for the rapid collection and dissemination of meteorological data and products required for internal and international use, in compliance with the regulations laid down by WMO;
c) To process and analyse meteorological data for use in the planning of economic development and rational exploitation of natural resources;
d) To provide meteorological services to Civil Aviation for the safety of aircraft operations in line with guidelines laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO);
e) To provide Meteorological Information Service to Government Departments, Public Corporations and the public;
f) To provide meteorological services for the development of agriculture, water resources and other weather-sensitive economic sectors;
g) To conduct research in meteorology and co-operate with organizations concerned with meteorological research and applications; and
h) To participate in the activities of appropriate international organizations, in particular those of WMO to which the Director is the permanent Representative of Zambia.
