As part of ongoing efforts to understand and address climate challenges in the Andean region, Lima, Peru, will host the XXIII Regional Climate Outlook Forum for Western South America from April 23 to 25, 2024. This forum, the result of multinational collaboration, includes contributions from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), regional institutions, and global climate prediction centers.

As an established platform for consensus-based climate information exchange, the Regional Climate Outlook Forum (RCOF) aims to provide accurate and useful climate predictions for strategic decision-making in critical sectors. Through this initiative, national, regional, and international climate experts, along with other stakeholders, seek to assess the implications of climate outlooks on the most relevant socio-economic sectors in the Andean region.

This year, the forum focuses on discussing and promoting advances in seasonal and sub seasonal forecasts, analyzing the impact of phenomena such as El Niño, and strengthening the necessary technical coordination in the region. Below is a brief summary of each day of the event:

• Day 1: The day will begin by exploring the oceanic and atmospheric conditions associated with the 2023-2024 El Niño. Presentations will follow from each National Meteorological and Hydrological Service on the observed climate in 2023 and the impact of El Niño. The session will conclude with a discussion forum focused on recent advances and next steps in drought monitoring in the western South America region.
• Day 2: The agenda focuses on forecast verification, with presentations on methodologies used and the proposal of a common methodology in the region. Climate outlooks for the coming quarters will also be presented, followed by discussions on necessary climate services in countries and in the region.
• Day 3: The day will begin with the launch of the first version of the CRC-OSA Strategic Plan, discussions on necessary regional coordination, and will conclude with a press conference disseminating the forum summary and its seasonal outlooks.

The ENANDES+ project “Improving the Adaptation Capacity of Andean Communities through Climate Services,” together with CIIFEN/CRC-OSA, is pivotal in this effort, seeking to enhance adaptation capacity to variable and changing climate in Chile, Colombia, and Peru. ENANDES+, a Adaptation Fund initiative that scales its action with a contribution from International Cooperation – SDC, is implemented by the World Meteorological Organization along with the NMHSs of these countries and with CIIFEN/CRC-OSA[1], which is responsible for driving regional collaboration and the necessary coordination between the countries. In each country, ENANDES+ has been structured to enhance users’ capacity to access, understand, and use climate information for hydro-meteorological and climate risk management, and climate change adaptation.

For more details on the program and how to participate, please review the detailed event schedule. Together, with information, preparedness, and collaboration, we can address todays and future climate challenges.

Source: ENANDES+ project

Useful links:
Program XXIII Regional Climate Outlook Forum for Western South America (PDF)
FS ENANDES+
Web ENANDES+
Web World Meteorological Organization

[1] International Research Centre on the El Niño Phenomenon / Regional Climate Center for Western South America