North-West University, operational research forecast · init 2026-09-11 20:00 SAST (2026-09-11 18:00 UTC), GFS 18Z cycle · 72h forecast · cycle 20260911_18z · updated daily
A two-domain, two-way nested WRF-ARW forecast on a Lambert Conformal projection: a 9 km outer domain covers South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, fed directly from NCEP GFS at the lateral boundary; and a 3 km, convection-permitting nest covers North West province and Gauteng. Initialized daily from NCEP GFS. This is a research forecast for demonstration and planning support. SAWS is the only body authorized to issue official weather warnings in South Africa.
For additional or custom WRF forecasts, contact Dr Henno Havenga, henno.havenga@nwu.ac.za.
| Domain | Resolution | Grid | Extent | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| d02 (outer) | 9 km | 214x200 | 14.7-36.1E, 20.5-36.9S | South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini; fed directly from GFS |
| d03 (nest in d02) | 3 km | 246x156 | 21.9-29.4E, 23.6-27.9S | North West + Gauteng, convection-permitting |
| Model configuration | |
|---|---|
| Dynamical core | WRF-ARW v4.8.0, non-hydrostatic |
| Map projection | Lambert Conformal (truelat1/truelat2 -23.7/-34.0) |
| Microphysics | Thompson (mp_physics=6) |
| Cumulus | Kain-Fritsch (d02); off on d03 (3 km, convection resolved explicitly) |
| Longwave / shortwave radiation | RRTMG (ra_lw_physics=3 / ra_sw_physics=3) |
| Planetary boundary layer | YSU (bl_pbl_physics=1) |
| Surface layer | Revised MM5 Monin-Obukhov (sf_sfclay_physics=1) |
| Land surface | Unified Noah LSM (sf_surface_physics=2), 4 soil layers |
| Boundary/initial conditions | NCEP GFS 0.25deg, 3-hourly |