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Meteorologists and farmers from different regions of the world are gathering in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, (12-14 July) to address climate challenges related to agriculture and food production. While discussing weather and climate-related risks in agriculture, they will address the livelihood crisis of the 450 million smallholder farmers around the world. Recommendations from this international workshop will be considered by the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology of WMO which holds its 15th session from 15 to 21 July also in Belo Horizonte. Enhancing satellite imagery for the media
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WMO participated in the 6th press officers workshop organized by Eumetsat and hosted by Météo-France in Toulouse, France, on 30 June - 1 July. The workshop launched a project which should result in enhanced imagery for the media. The project is scheduled to be finalized by the next Eumetsat workshop, to be held concomitantly with a meeting of communicators of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services of Europe, which will be hosted by Poland in early 2011.
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Visitors to the MeteoWorld |
In the morning of 21 June 2010, Miss Hu Xi, a Shanghai student who just finished her college entrance examination, became the 200,000th visitor to the MeteoWorld. As of 23 June, the total number of visitors to the MeteoWorld reached 214205. During the exhibition, MeteoWorld is organizing events on five major themes, namely: New Energy, Better City (13 June – 4 July); City Life and Meteorological Risks (10 - 31 July); “Eyes” on Weather (1-22 August); Meteorological Service for Your Splendid Life (1-30 September); Weather Forecasts Take Care of You Every Day (11-30 October). In addition, Weather China (http://www.weather.com.cn) launched a programme called ‘Imagine Meteorological Life in the Future’ (http://tq121.weather.com.cn/futurelife/html/index.html) during the period from June to September 2010. The winners will be awarded free tickets for World Expo 2010 Shanghai.
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Elena Manaenkova |
The WMO Executive Council endorsed the appointment of Ms Elena Manaenkova as Assistant Secretary-General of WMO. Ms Manaenkova took up her new duties on 18 June 2010.
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Heinrich von Wild (1833–1902) |
The Russian Federation has presented Switzerland with a portrait of Heinrich von Wild, an eminent Swiss physicist and meteorologist who founded the Russian meteorological service. In 1868 he accepted the invitation of the Academy of Sciences in Saint Petersburg and left to take up the post of director of the General Physical Observatory. Heinrich von Wild made an invaluable contribution to the development of meteorology and to the establishment of a meteorological observing system in Russia. He was President of the International Meteorological Organization from 1879 to 1896. The gift also includes an anemometer invented by von Wild. A ceremony to mark the occasion was held on 18 June at the Museum of the History of Science in Geneva. Mr Alexander Bedritsky, President of the World Meteorological Organization, and Mr Patrice Mugny, Minister of Culture of the City of Geneva, paid tribute to this eminent Swiss scientist in the presence of a large number of government representatives.
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The National Meteorological Centre (CNM) of Haiti launched its website www.meteo-haiti.gouv.ht to provide and disseminate information and warnings to all users including UN agencies, NGOs, disaster affected communities and media.
Following the earthquake of 12 January 2010 in Haiti, which caused considerable loss of lives and damage to all infrastructures including CNM, WMO Members have joined forces to re-establish operational meteorological services to help prevent further disasters during the hurricane season (June-December 2010). This is an exemplary model of cooperation of WMO and its Members that could be replicated in other similar situations in the future.
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| worldweather.wmo.int/globe/ |
The future version of the World Weather Information Service (WWIS) Website of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is showcased in the “MeteoWorld” Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 that runs from May to October 2010.
This brand-new version of WWIS is Google Earth enabled. It allows users to freely move around a virtual globe by changing the viewing angle and position, and has the additional capability of representing many different views such as geographical and man-made features on the surface of the Earth. It features a versatile "fly-over" function to any part of the world and a quick search function. This revamped version of WWIS will therefore provide users with more intuitive and flexible access to the official weather forecasts for more than 1 300 cities around the world.
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The International Polar Year 2007–2008 (IPY), the largest polar research and education venture ever undertaken, has formally come to a close at a ceremony in Oslo on Saturday 12 June—the final day of the IPY Oslo Science Conference.
The IPY sponsors, the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), thanked the many thousands of participants who made the IPY a spectacular international success, before passing the baton to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and WMO Executive Council Panel on Polar Observations, Research and Services, to secure the legacy of this important initiative.
Amendments to the ECMWF Convention which entered into force on 6 June, allows an enlargement of the membership of the organization and an expansion of the scope of its activities. The original Convention restricted membership to the founding 18 States. The amended Convention enlarges ECMWF's mission to cover the monitoring of the Earth-system. It will allow running third party activities which are in line with the purpose and objectives of the Centre.
For more information
The 62nd session of the Executive Council opens today at WMO headquarters and runs until 18 June, to review progress made in the provision of critical weather, water and climate services and to optimize its programmes in a changing world.
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For World Environment Day, WMO is launching an educational web site for youth. The “Youth corner” gives access to basic meteorological and hydrological science and seeks to create interest of the young generations in these subjects through easily understandable text accompanied by stories, videos, games from our Members and partners, experiments... The WMO “Youth corner” (available for the moment in English only) is accessible through the following link: www.wmo.int/youth/
Post card created for the occasion
Communication officials of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Iberoamerica – grouping Spain, Portugal and 19 countries of central and south America – decided upon joint action that should enhance weather and climate information to communities, especially in a region that shares similar weather patterns and is prone to natural hazards. At a meeting organized in San Jose from 31 May to 3 June by the National Meteorological Institute of Costa Rica and WMO with the support of the Spanish State Agency of Meteorology (Aemet), a communication network has been established for continuous interaction, among other, to revamp the website developed at the request of the Conference of Directors of Iberoamerican Meteorological Services (http://www.meteo-iberoamericana.com/)
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According to the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) New Delhi, Tropical Cyclone Centre of WMO, the tropical cyclone Phet, which developed in the north Arabian Sea, is located in the Arabian Sea at 17.5 North, 61.0 East, as of 00:00 UTC on 2 June. It has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm (maximum wind speed 65 knots, or equivalent to 120 kilometres per hour). It is forecast to continue to move northeastward and then turn, to move northward to northeastward. It will approach the coast of Oman within the next 48 hours with further intensification.
The severe cyclonic storm Phet is potentially very damaging to the southeast Yemen and Oman, and later to Pakistan. The sea state in the north Arabian Sea will be extremely rough particularly in the next 72 hours. Ships in this area are advised to take urgent measures to avoid risks.
For further information about the Tropical Cyclone Phet and associated severe weathers, please access the WMO Severe Weather Information Centre website and/or consult the National Weather Services in the area.
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On 5 June 2010, for the occasion of World Environment Day, WMO is organizing a discussion forum in the Parc Ariana, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, from 6 to 7 pm. The experts Pierre Eckert, Chief of the Meteo Suiss Regional Center in Geneva, Herbert Puempel, Chief of Aeronautic Meteorology at WMO and Gilles Sommeria, Climatologist, will talk to the public about "climate change, volcano ash and daily forecasts".
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Leaders of the world meteorological community and Chinese Authorities today inaugurated MeteoWorld at Shanghai - the first-ever meteorological pavilion in the 159-year history of World Expo. The pavilion, with the theme “for the safety and well-being of the people”, offers a unique opportunity to learn about the prevention and mitigation of meteorological disasters, adaptation to climate change, advances in atmospheric science and technology, meteorological services and the work of meteorologists. Among the various events organized by the international meteorological community at World Expo 2010, is a high-level Symposium on Meteorological Service Delivery and Disaster Risk Reduction on 9 and 10 May.
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| Mrs Sri Woro B. Harijono (Indonesia, right) and Mr ‘Ofa Fa’anunu (Tonga, left) have been elected president and vice-president of RA V. |
The Association elected Mrs Sri Woro B. Harijono (Indonesia) as president and Mr ‘Ofa Fa’anunu (Tonga) as vice-president of WMO Regional Association V (South-West Pacific) in Bali, Indonesia, 4 May 2010, to serve for the next intersessional period (four years).
The 15th quadrennial meeting of WMO’s South-West Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in Bali, Indonesia, (30 April - 6 May 2010) will address the region’s increasing vulnerability to climate change and natural hazards. In his inaugural address, WMO Secretary-General M. Jarraud noted that some NMHSs in the region have adopted new responsibilities such as geo-hazards and climate services, incorporating the provision of tsunami warnings. Highlighting the need to support NMHSs as investments in sustainable development and the protection of lives and property, he outlined some key issues for the Regional Association to consider. These include further improvement in forecasting and warning services through numerical weather prediction products; strengthening the role of NMHS in risk reduction coordination and multi-hazard early warning systems; and collaboration with relevant international and regional institutions.
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| Professor Aksel Wiin-Nielsen |
WMO expressed condolences at the passing away on 26 April of Professor Aksel Wiin-Nielsen, who was WMO Secretary-General from 1 January 1980 to 31 December 1983. A Danish national, Professor Wiin-Nielsen led a distinguished career in meteorology. Before assuming the stewardship of WMO, he was co-founder and first Director of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Appointed as the first Director of ECMWF from I January 1974. Professor Wiin-Nielsen’s leadership in the formative years of ECMWF was critical in building the Centre as a world-renowned scientific research and operational institution. In 1984, he became Director of the Danish Meteorological Institute and in that function attended sessions of the ECMWF Council. He was elected vice-President of Council in 1985 and President in 1986. In 1987, he became Professor of Physics at the University of Copenhagen, and in 1995, Professor Emeritus of the University. He continued his research interests well after his retirement. WMO Secretary-General M. Jarraud will be attending the funeral ceremony of Professor Wiin-Nielsen, to be held in Denmark on 4 May 2010.
WMO, which this year celebrates its 60 anniversary, will have a special booth set up in collaboration with the United Nations at the Geneva International Book Fair (booth n° G–920). The booth illustrates how the Organization makes a difference in peoples’ lives. The book fair, which is being held at Palexpo, has been opened today and will last until 2 May 2010.
Opening hours: all day from 9h30 to 19h00, except on Friday open until 21h30.
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| Photo: UK Met Office |
Despite signs that the Eyjafjallajökull volcano is calming, the European Meteorological Offices remain on full alert to monitor the atmospheric conditions. Conditions are changing with volcanic ash now being thrown up to a height of only 3 to 4 kilometres, compared to 6 to 7 kilometres earlier. The advent of a low air pressure system over Iceland in the next three days is expected to move the volcanic ash towards the Arctic, while the accompanying rains could wash down the ash at lower heights.
More information in WMO’s Q&A on Volcanic Ash
More than 30 African Ministers responsible for Meteorology adopted the historic Nairobi Declaration on 16 April in Nairobi, Kenya. By this decision, the Ministers agreed to strengthen the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and enhance inter-regional cooperation. They recognized the importance of weather and climate information services and products for social and economic development in various sectors, particularly agriculture, natural resource management, food security, transport, health, energy and disaster risk reduction. Organised by WMO, in partnership with the African Union Commission, the Conference also established a high-level mechanism, the African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET), which is expected to meet every two years to further develop meteorology and its applications in the continent.
The world’s combined global land and ocean surface temperature made last month the warmest March on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States of America, a WMO partner for global climate monitoring.
Taken separately, average ocean temperatures were the warmest for any March and the global land surface was the fourth warmest for any March on record. Additionally, the planet has seen the fourth warmest January – March period on record.
The monthly National Climatic Data Center analysis, which is based on records going back to 1880, is part of the suite of climate services NOAA provides government, business and community leaders so they can make informed decisions.
The rainy season has started in Haiti. The official Hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November in the Atlantic, which includes the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. On average, the peak of the season is from mid-August to late October with the maximum in early September and the annual number of named storms is 10.6. Haiti is more likely to be affected by Hurricanes in August and September in the average hurricane season.
Weather forecasts and early warnings are essential for preventing further disasters and for emergency contingency planning and recovery. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is working with Haiti and countries in the region to ensure the availability of meteorological and hydrological information during the rainy and hurricane seasons, and to support the longer-term development of the National Meteorological Service.
The restoration of a bare-minimum level of operational meteorological services within the next four to twelve months is a key objective in the UN Revised Flash Appeal and various bilateral supports. The estimated cost amounts to US$ one million. It includes basic capacities such as a secure operational office space (the building was significantly damaged during the earthquake), computers and printer, communication and dissemination systems, restoration of few automated weather stations, back up generators, and access to forecasting guidance and hands-on training of the forecasters and observing staff.
The First Conference of Ministers Responsible for Meteorology in Africa, opened under the theme "Investing in Weather and Climate Services for Development" on Monday, 12 April 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Opening remarks on the first day of the expert segment were made by Ramadhan Seif Kajembe, Assistant Minister, Environment and Mineral Resources, Kenya, Joseph Mukabana, Kenyan Permanent Representative, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Jerry Lengoasa, Deputy Secretary-General, WMO, and Olushola Olayide Sodeko, African Union Commission (AUC).
Participants met in morning plenary to endorse the objectives of the conference and adopted the agenda of the conference. In the afternoon, participants addressed the developing needs for providing weather, water and climate services on the continent; and the benefits of meteorological, hydrological and climate services.
The Huafeng Group, an audiovisual company of the China Meteorological Administration, is inviting science documentary producers to submit entries by 30 June 2010 to a major science film competition it is co-organizing. The “China Dragon Awards” is an integral part of the China International Conference of Science & History Producers, to be held from 17 to 20 September 2010 in Suzhou. The six categories include Nature & Environment, Life & Medicine, Archeology, Discoveries & Inventions, People, and Education. The best films in each category will be rewarded with one Gold, two Silver and three Bronze Awards. Only programs first broadcast or publicly released after 1 January 2008 are eligible.
More than 30 Ministers in charge of meteorology in Africa have responded to the call by WMO and the African Union, to recognize and strengthen the role of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) on the continent. The First Conference of Ministers Responsible for Meteorology in Africa, hosted by the Government of Kenya in Nairobi from 12 to 16 April 2010 begins with the experts-segment first, to be followed at the level of Ministers. This will be the first time that Ministers in charge of meteorology will be meeting at the pan-African level. While the continent is the most vulnerable to climate change, it is the least equipped to deal with its consequences.
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| From left to right: Ms I. Ruedi, Mr L. Barry, Mr A. Wallard, Mr M. Jarraud, Mr E. Goebel, , Mr W. Zhang, Ms S. McCrory, Mr M. Ondras |
Today, WMO became a signatory of the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM). The objective of the MRA is to establish the degree of equivalence of national measurement standards, to provide for the mutual recognition of calibration and measurement certificates and thereby to provide government and other parties with a secure technical foundation for wider agreements related to international trade, commerce and regulatory affairs. This is of paramount importance to ensuring the traceability of worldwide measurements to international standards and quality of observations, which is crucial to assess, among other, climate change. Indeed all measurement made at different location and different time needs to be comparable. Some laboratories are hosting world-reference standards for WMO, such as for solar irradiance, surface ozone, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride and carbon monoxide concentrations. All measurements need to be linked to these standards to ensure they are comparable. Signature of the MRA by WMO allows WMO to designate laboratories, which will now also be recognized by the international metrology community and will allow them to participate in CIPM activities, which aim at ensuring world-wide measurement traceability.
About 120 scientists ended a three-day workshop at the WMO headquarters in Geneva on 1 April 2010 to explore ways to deliver ever more accurate and reliable observations of the Earth’s climate. Entitled “Measurement Challenges for Global Observation Systems for Climate Change Monitoring — Traceability, Stability and Uncertainty”, the workshop was jointly organised by WMO and the International Bureau for Weights and Measures (BIPM). Today, many of the challenges faced by climate science are indeed measurement challenges. For example, assessing the trends in concentrations of greenhouse gases and their regional sources and sinks, assessing the radiative impacts of these gases, and assessing the resulting changes in surface and atmospheric temperature. The workshop brought together the relevant scientific communities to debate and review the status of applied meteorology, with respect to metrological traceability, in eight specific theme areas. The outcomes will be published by WMO.
For more information on the workshop:
www.bipm.org/utils/en/pdf/WMO-BIPM_programme.pdf
According to the latest El Niño/La Niña update issued by WMO on 30 March, the ongoing El Niño event continues to have significant and widespread impacts. The signature of this event, which started in June 2009, is seen in basin-wide Pacific Ocean conditions, and in many of the climate patterns around the world that are typically impacted by an El Niño event. The most likely outcome by mid-year 2010 is for the El Niño event to have decayed and near-neutral conditions to be re‑established across the tropical Pacific. However, this time of year (March-June) is a particularly difficult period for forecasting developments in the tropical Pacific, and forecasters cannot rule out persistence of El Niño or the possible early stages of La Niña by mid-year. Even during the decaying phase of the El Niño expected over the next few months, the conditions associated with it will continue to influence climate patterns at least through the second quarter of the year, and this information will be contained in the available national and regional seasonal climate forecast assessments.
On 18 March, a launch event was held in Brazil’s Minas Gerais State for two upcoming WMO events in July 2010. The “International Workshop on Addressing the Livelihood Crisis of Farmers: Weather and Climate Services” and the Fifteenth Session of the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology (CAgM-XV) will be held in Belo Horizonte from 12 to 14 July and 15 to 21 July 2010 respectively. Antonio Augusto Anastasia, Vice Governor of the State of Minas Gerais, welcomed the WMO initiatives which would benefit the farming community worldwide. Mr Gilman Viana Rodrigues, State Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Supplies and Prof. Luiz Claudio Costa, Rector of the Federal University of Viçosa were among those who participated in the event. Dr Mannava Sivakumar, Director of the Climate Prediction and Adaptation Branch of WMO, outlined the objectives of the July workshop. Experts from over 80 countries are expected to participate in the International Workshop and the CAgM-XV session.
For the first time, WMO has brought together all stakeholders involved in reducing impacts of extreme weather and water events in Central America and the Caribbean. The Multi-hazard early warning system workshop, taking place in San José, Costa Rica (22-25 March) brings together senior executives from the National Disaster Risk Management agencies, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, and all agencies supporting early warning systems in the region. The purpose is to enhance early warning system capacities for saving lives by fostering cooperation among all those involved and linking to latest developments in forecasting.
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On 23 March 2010, the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services all over the world commemorate the Convention establishing World Meteorological Organization 60 years ago. This year’s theme is: “WMO – 60 years of service for your safety and well-being.” A special booklet to mark this occasion recalls historic achievements by the organization and illustrates sixty ways how WMO makes the difference in our daily lives. At a ceremony at the WMO premises, Dr Osvaldo F. Canziani, who has been closely associated with the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, will be the Guest Speaker. Professor Walter R. Stahel, a prominent authority in Insurance Economics and Risk Management associated with Climate Change, will also address the audience as a special guest. The contemporary artist Remi Benyamin will display some of his paintings inspired by satellite images.
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| From left to right: V. Mungur, K.R. Masri, M. Jarraud, P.R. Owade, J. Lengoasa and C. Van Maele |
At a press conference in Geneva on 16 March, Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General of WMO, announced that African Ministers responsible for meteorology will meet in Nairobi, Kenya, to explore the best ways to strengthen weather, climate and water information for decision-making to help achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals. Recognizing the need to strengthen the role and contribution of African National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to Government policies and initiatives for mitigating and adapting to climate change, Ambassador Philip Richard Owade, Permanent Representative of Kenya, underlined the timeliness of the Ministerial conference for the African continent. Ambassador Khadija Rachida Masri, Permanent Observer of the African Union (AU) mentioned that the AU “felt the need in Africa to have ministerial conferences on very specific fields” such as meteorology. “Our goal, with WMO, is to reinforce meteorological capacities in African countries in order to prevent the negative impacts of climate change”, she added. WMO, in partnership with the AU, is organizing the First Conference of Ministers Responsible for Meteorology in Africa, from 12 to 16 April 2010, with the support of the Government of Kenya.
WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud said the request for an independent review of the IPCC processes and procedures met with the full support of the WMO. On official visit to Mexico last week, Mr Jarraud told reporters that while criticized by some quarters and on different grounds, the IPCC reports today are the best source of information on the science and the impacts of climate change. The integrity of the science behind climate change, the leadership and the role of the IPCC itself as an intergovernmental mechanism to bring together eminent scientists and the latest knowledge and research outputs and to bring this knowledge to the attention of the world are solid. He added that evolving learning processes and more sophisticated research tools when reflected in working procedures would contribute to produce even more rigorous science. This was endorsed recently also by the WMO Commission for Climatology which decided to take advantage of recent technological and scientific advances in producing refined global surface temperature information.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), jointly co-sponsored by WMO, the International Council for Science and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, will host an international Open Science Conference from 24-28 October 2011, in Denver, Colorado, USA. The conference aims to attract the world’s experts to provide a unique synthesis of current research findings on climate variability and change. It will help identify the most urgent scientific issues and research challenges, and to ascertain how the WCRP can best facilitate research and develop partnerships critical for progress in the future.
The Secretary-General of WMO, Michel Jarraud, joined the celebrations to mark the Africa Environment Day on 3 March 2010 in Arusha, Tanzania. This year’s theme focuses on building African resilience to climate change and protecting Africa's unique biodiversity in the face of the mounting impacts of climate variability and change.
In his statement, Mr Jarraud expressed WMO’s firm commitment to support Africa’s efforts. “While natural hazards cannot be avoided, capacity building can prepare societies to significantly reduce death and destruction,” he noted. Giving an update on the Global Framework for Climate Services, he said that for Africa it would contribute to meet vital challenges in the areas of disaster prevention, food security and water management in a way fully compatible with the protection of the environment.
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