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No. 904 -2010 in the top three warmest years, 2001-2010 warmest 10-year period

Cancun/Geneva, 2 December 2010 (WMO) - The year 2010 is almost certain to rank in the top 3 warmest years since the beginning of instrumental climate records in 1850, according to data sources compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The global combined sea surface and land surface air temperature for 2010 (January–October) is currently estimated at 0.55°C ± 0.11°C (0.99°F ± 0.20°F) above the 1961–1990 annual average of 14.00°C/57.2°F. At present, 2010’s nominal value is the highest on record, just ahead of 1998 (January-October anomaly +0.53°C) and 2005 (0.52°C). The ERA-Interim reanalysis data are also indicating that January-October 2010 temperatures are near record levels. The final ranking of 2010 will not become clear until November and December data are analysed in early 2011. Preliminary operational data from 1-25 November indicate that global temperatures from November 2010 are similar to those observed in November 2005, indicating that global temperatures for 2010 are continuing to track near record levels. >> full text

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No. 903 -Greenhouse Gases Reach Record Levels - WMO Highlights Concerns about Global Warming and Methane

24 November 2010 (WMO) –The main greenhouse gases have reached their highest levels recorded since pre-industrial times, according to the World Meteorological Organization’s 2009 Greenhouse Gas Bulletin. The report also highlights concerns that global warming may lead to even greater emissions of methane from Arctic areas. >> full text

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No. 902 - Progress and priorities outlined at WMO Africa regional meeting

Marrakech/Geneva, 8 November 2010 (WMO) – Progress has been made in strengthening the capacity of national meteorological services in Africa to issue reliable weather forecasts, climate predictions and hazard warnings. But more remains to be done, according to the World Meteorological Organization’s Regional Association for Africa. >> full text

No. 901 - New report published on “Climate, Carbon and Coral Reefs”

Nagoya/Geneva, 26 October 2010 (WMO/CBD) - Coral reefs, referred to as the ‘tropical rainforests of the ocean’ are facing unprecedented threats because of climate change, including damage from increasingly severe tropical cyclones, bleaching events and ocean acidification. About 20 percent of the original area of coral reefs has been lost, with a further 25 percent threatened in the next century. Concerted international action is needed to ensure their long-term survival, according to a new report (available in English only, 32 pages). >> full text

No. 900 - WMO Says Moderate to Strong La Niña Expected to Continue into 2011 

Geneva, 11 October 2010 (WMO) - Moderate to strong La Niña conditions are now well-established in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, and are likely to continue at least until the first quarter of next year, according to the El Niño/La Niña Update issued today by the World Meteorological Organization. La Niña conditions may possibly further strengthen during the next four to six months.>> full text

No. 899 - WMO South American Regional Association calls for better weather and climate services

Bogota, Colombia, 29 September 2010 (WMO) – Meteorologists in South America have pledged to give priority to improving forecasting and warning capabilities, strengthening observations and telecommunications networks, establishing regional climate centres and implementing disaster risk management strategies. >> full text

No. 898 - New report highlights two-way link between ozone layer and climate change

Geneva/Nairobi, 16 September 2010 – International efforts to protect the ozone layer—the shield that protects life on Earth from harmful levels of ultraviolet rays—are a success and have stopped additional ozone losses and contributed to mitigating the greenhouse effect, according to a new report. >> full text

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No. 897 - Statement by WMO Secretary-General following the report by the Inter-Academy Council of Sciences on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

GENEVA, 31 August 2010 (WMO) – The Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Mr Michel Jarraud, welcomed the review of the IPCC working procedures and processes by the Inter-Academy Council of Sciences (IAC). The IAC recommendations, which will be submitted to the IPCC Plenary in October, would strengthen the IPCC.  The IAC Report and follow-up action will be brought to the attention of the 16th World Meteorological Congress (Geneva, Switzerland, 16 May - 3 June 2011). >> full text

No. 896 - WMO Commission for Agriculture Pledges Improved Services to Farming Communities Around the World and Appoints 21 Women Experts

Belo Horizonte/Geneva, 21 July 2010 (WMO) – About 120 representatives from 62 countries around the world and international organizations concluded a week-long meeting of the Fifteenth Session of the WMO Commission for Agricultural Meteorology in Belo Horizonte, Brazil by pledging improved agrometeorological services to assist the farming community around the world to cope with the increasing impacts of climate variability and climate change. >> full text

No. 895 -15th Session of the WMO Agro - Meteorological Commission Begins (Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 15 – 21 July 2010)

Belo Horizonte/Geneva, 15 July 2010 (WMO) – Representatives of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services from WMO 189 member States and Territories are gathered in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, from 15 to 21 July for the 15th – quadrennial – session of the WMO Commission for Agricultural Meteorology. >> full text

No. 894 -Pioneering Meeting of Meteorologists and Farmers to boost practical use of Climate Information

Belo Horizonte/Geneva, 15 July 2010 (WMO) – Climate threats to food security and to livelihoods bolstered the first-ever meeting of meteorologists and farmers at the global level. The three-day discussions (12-14 July) among some 150 participants from more than 50 countries from all geographical regions led to a comprehensive set of recommendations aimed at exploiting the full potential of weather and climate services for reducing the vulnerability of farming communities. The recommendations will be considered by the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) which today began its 15th (quadrennial) session (15 to 21 July).  Both events are hosted by Brazil, in Belo Horizonte. >> full text

No. 893 - WMO launches SWIdget:  get severe weather warnings on tropical cyclones on your computer

Geneva / Hong Kong (WMO) – 13 July 2010: The Severe Weather Information Centre (SWIC) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has been enhanced with the launch of a new service known as SWIdget.  With this brand new service, local and international users can now obtain severe weather warnings related to tropical cyclones that are issued by participating official weather services in near real-time.  This new service aims to help users access severe weather warnings easily so that they can take suitable precautionary measures well in time. >> full text

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No. 892 - El Niño Has Ended. Possibility of La Niña Watched Closely.

Geneva, 6 July 2010 (WMO) – Following the rapid dissipation of El Niño in early May 2010, cool-neutral to weak La Niña conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific. These conditions are more likely than not to strengthen into a basin-wide La Niña over the coming months, according to the El Niño/La Niña Update issued today by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). >> full text

No. 891 - Meteorologists and Farmers Meet in Brazil to address Weather and Climate Challenges

Belo Horizonte/Geneva, 7 July 2010 (WMO) – 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. >> full text

No. 890 - WMO Executive Council guides work on weather and climate services

GENEVA, 5 July 2010 (WMO) — The Executive Council of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), during its sixty-second session held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 8 to 18 June 2010, in a general context of financial crisis, adopted innovative approaches for further advancing global observing systems, research and forecasts in the fields of weather, climate and water. The Council underlined the need for developing the Global Framework for Climate Services as a required tool for building sustainable economies. >> full text

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No. 889 - Professor Taroh Matsuno Wins the IMO Prize

Geneva, 18 June 2010 (WMO) – The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has awarded its most prestigious Prize and honoured several distinguished scientists at the annual meeting of its Executive Council.  These scientists have made outstanding contributions in the field of meteorology, climatology, hydrology and related sciences. >> full text

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No. 888 - Haiti: Forecasting and warning services operational for the Hurricane Season (June – December 2010)

Geneva, 18 June 2010 (WMO) – The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced today that 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. >> full text

No. 887 - Experts Recommend Agricultural Drought Indices for improved understanding of food production conditions

Geneva/Murcia, 8 June 2010 (WMO) – Nineteen scientists from all regions adopted recommendations for monitoring agricultural droughts that should ensure better understanding of conditions critical for regular food production.  An important recommendation based on a review of current practices, calls for moving beyond the use of just rainfall data in the computation of indices for the description of agricultural drought and its impacts on agriculture.>> full text

 

Joint press release ICSU/WMO: Polar year comes to a close

Paris and Geneva. The International Polar Year 2007–2008 (IPY), the largest polar research and education venture ever undertaken, will 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), will thank 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. >> full text

 

No. 886 - WMO Executive Council to focus on climate, water and weather services (Geneva, 8-18 June 2010)

Geneva, 8 June 2010 (WMO) – The Executive Council of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is holding its annual meeting in Geneva, Switzerland,  from 8-18 June, to review progress made in the provision of critical weather, water and climate services and to optimize its programmes in a changing world. >> full text

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No. 885 - World Expo 2010 features the first-ever meteorological pavilion
(Shanghai, People's Republic of China, 1 May - 31 October 2010)

SHANGHAI/GENEVA, 9 May 2010 – Leaders of the world meteorological community and Chinese Authorities led by Hui Liangyu, Vice Premier, are gathered today at World Expo 2010 in Shanghai for the Honor Day of “MeteoWorld”, the first-ever meteorological pavilion in the 159-year history of World Expo. Meteoworld offers visitors to the World Expo 2010 a unique opportunity to learn about the prevention and mitigation of meteorological disasters, adaptation to climate change, advances in atmospheric science and technology, meteorological service and routine work of meteorologists. >> full text

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No. 884 - Vulnerability to Natural Hazards High on the Agenda of South-West Pacific Region (Bali, Indonesia, 30 April- 6 May 2010)

Bali/Geneva, 30 April 2010 (WMO) - At their quadrennial meeting, the South-West Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) will address their evolving role and responsibilities in the face of the region’s increasing vulnerability to climate variability and change and natural hazards. >> full text

A Q&A about the ash plume from the volcano eruption

Geneva, 20 April 2010 - Replies from WMO experts in aeronautical meteorology to questions related to the spread of the ash plume from the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland. >> full text

No. 883 - The first Conference of Ministers responsible for meteorology in Africa adopts the Nairobi Declaration

Nairobi, Geneva, 16 April 2010 (WMO/AU) –Today, in Nairobi, at the invitation of the Government of Kenya, more than 30 African Ministers responsible for meteorology adopted the historic Nairobi Declaration in response to the increasing risks and threats posed by climate variability and change to development on the continent. >> full text

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No. 882 - Ministers Responsible For Meteorology in Africa Meet For the First Time To Address the challenges of Climate Change

Nairobi and Geneva, 12 April 2010 (WMO) – More than 30 Ministers in charge of meteorology in Africa responded to the international call of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), in partnership with the African Union, to meet for the first time. While the continent is the most vulnerable to climate change, Africa is the least equipped to deal with its consequences. The First Conference of Ministers Responsible for Meteorology in Africa, hosted by the Government of Kenya in Nairobi from 12 to 16 April 2010, aims at recognizing and strengthening the role of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS). >> full text

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El Niño in decline but impacts may continue until mid-2010

Geneva, 30 March 2010 (WMO) – 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 assessment. >> full text

No. 881 - Central America and the Caribbean to Strengthen Cooperation for Reducing Risks of Natural Disasters (22 – 25 March, San José, Costa Rica)

Geneva, 22 March 2010 (WMO) – The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is bringing together, for the first time, 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, which will take place from 22 to 25 March in San José, Costa Rica, will bring 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. >> full text

No. 880 - WMO MARKS 60 YEARS IN SERVICE OF HUMAN SECURITY

GENEVA, 23 March 2010 – “WMO - 60 Years of service for your safety and well-being” is the theme of the World Meteorological Day (WMD) being celebrated today by the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in 189 Member States and Territories. >> full text

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No. 879 - MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR METEOROLOGY IN AFRICA TO MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME (Nairobi, Kenya, 12-16 April 2010)

Geneva, 16 March 2010 (WMO) – African Ministers responsible for meteorology will meet in Nairobi, Kenya, to address ways of strengthening weather, climate and water information for decision-making. Recognizing the needs to strengthen the role and contribution of African National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) to Government policies and initiatives for mitigating and adapting to climate change, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), in partnership with the African Union, 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, in Nairobi. >> full text

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No. 878 - HIGH-LEVEL TASK FORCE FOR CLIMATE SERVICES STARTS WORK AT WMO

Geneva, 26 February 2010 (WMO) The first meeting of the High-Level Taskforce for climate services selected Jan Egeland of Norway and Mahmoud Abu-Zeid of Egypt as co-chairs.  The High Level Taskforce of independent advisers, which the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Michel Jarraud, was requested by a decision of the World Climate Conference-3 to establish a Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), is meeting on 25-26 February, at the WMO Headquarters in Geneva. >> full text

No. 877 - FUTURE STRATEGY TO IMPROVE CLIMATE INFORMATION AND SERVICES AGREED AT GLOBAL MEETING

Geneva, 1 March 2010 (WMO) – Over 150 participants representing 88 countries and three international organizations met at the Fifteenth Session of the Commission for Climatology (CCl) of World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Antalya, Turkey from 19 to 24 February 2010 and agreed on a future strategy to provide improved climate information and services. In many parts of the world, weather and climate are amongst the biggest risk and uncertainty factors that affect a broad range of socio-economic sectors. Decision makers in these sectors need information for planning, operations, risk management and for adaptation to both climate change and variability covering a wide range of time scales. Their needs would be better served through more readily available and reliable climate information and knowledge, and by access to and use of related tools and products, as proposed in the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS). >> full text

No. 876 - EXPERTS AT GLOBAL MEETING DISCUSS ACTION PLAN FOR IMPROVED CLIMATE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Geneva/Antalya, 22 February 2010 (WMO) – Climate change challenge is indeed real and every social, economic and environmental sector is critically susceptible to climate variability and change. Some 150 experts from all over the world participating in the Fifteenth Session of the Commission for Climatology of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) are discussing an action plan for providing improved climate services to the global community, which includes the establishment of Open Panel of Experts that will focus on thematic areas including climate data management, global and regional climate monitoring and assessment, climate products and services and climate information for adaptation and risk management.  >> full text

No. 875 - INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS ADDRESS SOCIETAL NEEDS FOR CLIMATE SERVICES

Geneva/Antalya, 16 February 2010 (WMO) – More than 150 scientists from over 80 countries are meeting this week in Antalya, as governments, communities, businesses and resource managers are increasingly challenged to develop and implement programs, policies and procedures that reduce their vulnerability to climate change and climate variability. >> full text

No. 874 - HAITI NEEDS METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AS RAINS/HURRICANES APPROACH

Geneva, 9 February 2010 (WMO) – The World Meteorological Organization stresses the pressing need for operational meteorological services in Haiti to prevent further disasters. The rainy season with flood risk is due early April and the hurricane season begins early June. In order to prevent potential disasters related to the natural hazards, which the country is prone to the capacity of Haiti to produce and disseminate weather information and warnings needs to be developed without delay. Weather forecasts and early warnings from the Haiti National Meteorological Center are essential for national authorities, humanitarian and development agencies and the people for emergency contingency planning and recovery. >> full text

No. 873 - WMO COMMISSION TO ENHANCE METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR AVIATION

Geneva, 3 February 2010 (WMO) – Three quarters of significant air traffic delays in regions with high traffic density are related to weather and nearly half of aircraft accidents occur during operations in adverse weather. Planning and operation of air transport based on global standards and accurate weather forecasts and warnings is vital for safety. Some 150 representatives from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, including aeronautical meteorologists and representatives from aviation organizations, will meet from 3 to 10 February 2010 in Hong Kong, China. >> full text

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