By Zain Ambar

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Majeda Al-Azmi, the first Saudi woman to specialize in meteorology, stated through she was a trailblazer in this field she would not have been in this position today but for the support of the authorities that enabled her to overcome the challenges and hurdles while building a career in meteorology.

She is one among the three Saudi women officials working in the Kingdom’s General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection.

These women not only provide a shot in the arm for women empowerment but as path setters provide a major boost to several women working in this unique area across the Kingdom.

Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Al-Azmi, who is working as a programmer and climate analyst at the authority, recalled how she managed to etch her credentials in this new field for Saudi women.

“There was no specialization course for women in Saudi Arabia at the time when I was pursuing an intensive course on meteorology at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. Later, I was sent to Britain on a one-year special course in meteorology under the authority’s scholarship scheme,” she said noting that she was able to overcome all the challenges in this profession with the support of the management and colleagues.

Referring to the nature of her work at the authority, Al-Azmi said her climate department works on a medium- to long-term quarterly forecast using sophisticated numerical models, analyzing various climatic elements such as high and low temperatures and precipitation, and providing output to relevant entities such as the agricultural, industrial and tourism sectors.

“We also conduct historical researches and studies of the climate of a specific region for a period of time less than 30 years using numerical modeling, as well as climate simulation programs that are useful in the Kingdom’s development projects.

Sameera Al-Asiri, coordinator of International Relations in the meteorological sector at the authority, said that the meteorological sector takes into account the technical instructions and requirements issued by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as it is the international authority in the field of meteorology and climate for all meteorological facilities in the world.

“As Saudi Arabia is a member of WMO and some regional organizations, we require to follow-up on the work of these organizations and coordinate with them to ensure that the sector is informed of what is happening internationally and regionally through conducting training and holding international conferences and meetings, in addition to the preparation of reports about recommendations and resolutions issued by international meetings and their follow-up implementation within the sector.

Maha Zidan, coordinator of International Relations at the authority, said that her work is integrated with the meteorology department in following up on the implementation of recommendations and decisions taken at international and regional meetings and applying them together with the competent departments and informing international organizations about the progress of implementing these recommendations.