Date: Tuesday, 23 March 2021; 61st Anniversary.
Sponsor: World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Objectives: The World Meteorological Day is annually held on March 23 to remember the establishment of World Meteorological Organization on that date in 1950. The day also highlights the contribution that National Meteorological and Hydrological Services make to the safety and well-being of society.
Background:
Without the data collected by the World Meteorological Organization, it would be impossible to get accurate daily weather forecasts. The World Meteorological Organization plays a crucial role in contributing to people’s safety and welfare. Its work is important in providing food security, water resources and transport. The meteorological data help us track climate damage, plan our whole days, and warn us about natural disasters. Because of the WMO, we can predict huge storms with enough time for people to evacuate or make the necessary storm preparations.
Inception: It was first officially held on 23 March 1961
In 1873, the International Meteorological Organization was established in Vienna, Austria, which aimed to establish meteorological station networks and improve weather forecasts.
On 23 March 1950, The International Meteorological Organization was renamed the World Meteorological Organization – a name still used today, which became the United Nations’ specialized agency for meteorology in 1951.
Since 1961, World Meteorological Day is annually observed on March 23 to commemorate the World Meteorological Organization’s establishment.
How to celebrate the Day
Learn, share, and actions!
Each year, World Meteorological Day features a variety of events such as conferences, symposia, prize giving ceremony, seminars, lectures, exhibitions, and social media campaigns for meteorological professionals, community leaders and the general public. Many countries issue special postage stamps to celebrate World Meteorological Day, which often reflect the event’s theme or mark a country’s achievements in meteorology.
Each year a specific theme is proposed by the United Nations to raise awareness and promote innovative actions. The themes chosen for World Meteorological Day generally reflect topical weather, climate or water-related issues.
Annual theme in recent years:
2021 theme: “The Ocean, Our Climate and Weather”
2020 theme: “Climate Change and Water”
2019 theme: “The Sun, the Earth and the Weather”
2018 theme: “Weather-Ready, Climate-Smart”
2017 theme: “Understanding Clouds”
2016 theme: “Hotter, Drier, Wetter – Face the Future”
2015 theme: “Climate Knowledge for Climate Action”
Official websites:
https://public.wmo.int/en/resources/world-meteorological-day
