What is the weather service like in Tanzania?

 That is something that I have always wondered. And lo, Doug Muir answers:

Much better than you’d think. Not clear why. But it’s providing good, real-time information for both weather predictions and best-guess seasonal stuff. 

Tanzania has 95% mobile coverage. So almost every community — every dusty little plains village, every wandering band of Masai — now has at least one guy with a cell phone who can get regular text updates on when the rains are coming and how long they’re likely to be.

Satellite data is cheap or free, basic forecasting techniques are known and easily taught. So why don’t other African countries have good weather services too? I’m not sure, but I think this is another positive-legacy-of-socialism thing: lots of little local weather stations, plus a good tradition of a strong government weather service. Apparently the weather guys are something that’s all too rare in Africa: an educated elite who aren’t afraid to spend time out in the villages or get their hands dirty. 

Anyway, good weather service = huge, huge difference in quality of life. If nothing else, it dramatically reduces the uncertainty.