World Meteorological Day

Dear Members, Colleagues, Friends Happy World Meteorological Day. Happy 75th Anniversary of the World Meteorological Organization as the UN’s authoritative voice on weather, climate and water. Today – and indeed for the whole of this year – we celebrate the contribution of WMO and its Members to saving lives, serving society and protecting our planet. The staff of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services are like doctors and nurses – working 24/7 to safeguard and promote public well-being. I would like to thank each and every one of you. We are more than just weather forecasters. Scientific data, information and services provided by the WMO community underpin decisions ranging from daily leisure activities to seasonal crop planting to long-term infrastructure investments. During the past 75 years, we have brought billions of dollars in added value to the global economy. We have saved billions more in averted economic losses from weather, climate and water-related hazards. And ...

On World Meteorological Day, March 23, 2022, the United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Antonio Guterres announced a landmark commitment: “The United Nations will take the lead in new actions to ensure that everyone on the planet is protected by early warning systems within the next five years.” Early Warnings For All seeks to reach everyone with early warning systems by the end of 2027. We are now at the halfway point and much progress has been made. As of end of 2024, 108 countries report having some capacity for multi-hazard early warning systems. This is more than double the 52 countries in 2015. However much remains to be done. Today, I emphasize three critical gaps that we must continue to must be address through strengthened collective efforts. 1. Bridging the Capacity Gap Among WMO Members There are still significant capacity gaps among WMO Members. On behalf of the World Meteorological Organization, I call upon global stakeholders—including the UN, international and regional d...

The dark predictions of meteorologists are coming to pass. Our climate is going up in flames. Every one of the last ten years has been the hottest in recorded history. Ocean heat is breaking records. And every country is feeling the effects – whether scorched by fires, swept by floods, or pummelled by unprecedented storms. The theme of this year’s World Meteorological Day – Closing the Early Warning Gap Together – reminds us that, in this new climate reality, early warning systems are not luxuries. They are necessities and sound investments – providing an almost ten-fold return. Yet, almost half the world’s countries still lack access to these life-saving systems. It is disgraceful that, in a digital age, lives and livelihoods are being lost because people have no access to effective early warning systems. The United Nations Early Warnings for All initiative aims for everyone, everywhere to be protected by an alert system by 2027. The world must come together, and urgently scale-up ac...

At the halfway point, we are making strong progress in saving lives, protecting livelihoods, and strengthening resilience across countries and communities. Governments must lead the way Collaboration between the public and private sectors holds significant potential for the Early Warnings for All initiative, with opportunities for engagement across a broad spectrum of private sector actors—both large and small. While government agencies —particularly National Meteorological and Hydrological Services —must remain the source of authoritative warnings, private sector collaboration can help drive innovation, strengthen dissemination, and enhance risk knowledge. From AI-driven forecasting tools to enhanced communication systems , businesses can provide valuable expertise and resources. Whether they are established corporations or local companies, the private sector has a vested interest in leveraging weather and climate information to manage risks, protect assets, optimize operations, ...

As we look ahead to the 2027 target, the next phase of the Early Warnings for All initiative will focus on fast-tracked, inclusive, and streamlined action to amplify its impact by: Building on lessons learned and tools developed to accelerate and improve implementation. Expanding support to additional countries beyond the initial 30 focus countries. Strengthening partnerships with bilateral and multilateral donors, development banks, and climate funds to boost resources and collaboration. Enhancing regional capacity through cooperation with specialized centers and regional partners to ensure lasting impact. Promoting national ownership by placing countries at the forefront of implementation and ensuring long-term sustainability.

WMO recently confirmed that 2024 was the hottest year on record. Changes in our environment are driving more extreme weather events. Rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones, devastating rainfall, storm surges, flooding, deadly droughts, and wildfires are on the rise. Sea levels are increasing, exposing densely populated coastal areas to coastal inundation and ocean wave impacts. The societal effects of these events continue long after the headlines fade.The video emphasizes the critical importance of early warning systems in disaster prevention and mitigation. It highlights how these systems can help people anticipate and prepare for various natural hazards like storms, floods, and heat waves before they strike, ultimately saving millions of lives. At the halfway mark of the Early Warnings for All initiative, significant progress has been made in saving lives, protecting livelihoods, and strengthening community resilience . As climate risks escalate, the urgency of the initiative contin...

Together, we can close the early warning financing gap and ensure every country has the resources needed to build resilience and protect communities from the growing impacts of extreme weather and climate change. Together to harness innovation Together to strengthen regional collaboration Together to mobilize and share resources

Understanding and predicting these complex interactions is critical to building effective early warning systems. While forecasting capabilities have advanced significantly, gaps remain in observation networks, forecasting accuracy, and access to high-quality climate and hydrological data. Strengthening National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in developing nations is not only vital for climate adaptation —it is essential for global resilience, security, and economic stability. As the UN’s specialized agency for weather, climate, and water, WMO continues to harness the power of partnerships through its network of 193 Member States and Territories. Now is the time to act. By closing the early warning gap together, we can build a safer, more resilient world For over 75 years, WMO has been a global leader in Earth system science —an integrated approach that connects weather, climate, water, and the environment. Explore the journey!

  Based on observational data, ERA5 hourly reanalysis data, and s-band dual-polarization radar data, the extremely severe convective weather happening in Shandong Peninsula on 1 October 2021 is analyzed. The results show that the process was affected by the upper-level cold vortex, and extremely severe convective weather happened from west to east in the northern area of Shandong Peninsula. Extra-large hail occurred in this process. The upper-level cold vortex provided the synoptic-scale dynamic forcing and unstable thermal stratification conditions, which were conducive to the occurrence of severe convective weather.  Read the research paper!