By Rahim Abdul
Malawi’s Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS) has taken a major leap forward in weather monitoring technology with the rollout of the advanced PUMA 2025 satellite reception system.
This upgrade, supported by the European Union and coordinated by the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), replaces the decade-old PUMA 2015 system with cutting-edge capabilities.
Installed between July 28 and August 1, 2025, at DCCMS headquarters in Blantyre, PUMA 2025 taps into the latest Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) satellite data.
This new system dramatically enhances Malawi’s ability to observe weather conditions with finer detail, more frequent updates, and broader geographic coverage.
Among its many benefits, the system enables real-time tracking of rapidly developing thunderstorms, monitoring of atmospheric dust which affects air quality, and sophisticated nowcasting methods to improve early warning systems.
This technological advancement is part of the global Early Warning for All initiative, designed to better prepare countries for severe weather and climate-related emergencies.
Amos Mtonya, DCCMS Deputy Director for Engineering and Communication, hailed the installation as a game changer.
He emphasized that with clearer satellite imagery and expanded coverage, Malawi can now deliver more precise and timely alerts for extreme weather, ultimately protecting communities and infrastructure.
The PUMA 2025 upgrade falls under the ClimSA Programme, which strives to enhance climate services through better satellite access, forecasting innovation, and capacity development across participating nations.
