Uganda National Meteorological Authority (formerly Department of Meteorology) under Ministry of Water and Environment is a semi autonomous government institution for weather and climate services (UNMA Act. 2012) and a focal institution to Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an international body of experts mandated to analyze scientific research findings on climate change.

The Government of Uganda (GoU) has always recognized natural resources (including weather and climate) as a basic factor in the country’s national development process. It is well documented and common knowledge that the day to day management and harnessing of all natural resources are largely dependent on the state of the environment, weather and climate. Weather and climate is therefore, an important factor in the social and economic development of the country as it has major influences on the developments of all other sectors of the economy.

The Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) is responsible for establishing and maintaining weather and climate observing stations network, collection, analysis and production of weather and climate information, (including warnings/advisories) to support social and economic development. The key sectors served by UNMA include; transport (mainly aviation and marine), defence, agriculture, disaster preparedness, environmental and water resources management, tourism and construction industry. UNMA accomplishes these responsibilities in collaboration and coordination with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and its Member States and other global and regional meteorological centres.

The main purpose of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services as stated in the World Meteorological Organisation Convention isMonitoring weather and climate; providing meteorological, hydrological and related services in support of relevant national needs in the following areas:

• Protection of life and property
• Safeguarding the environment
• Contributing to sustainable development
• Promoting long-term observation and collection of meteorological, hydrological and Climatological data, including related environmental data
• Promotion of indigenous capacity-building
• Meeting international commitments and obligations
• Contributing to international cooperation.