Status of Climate

Status of the global Climate

Monitoring the climate system at the global scale is an internationally coordinated enterprise. The focus is made on tracking the trends and variations of the two  major indicators of temperature and precipitation. Another focus’ on developing statistics related to major climate system patterns and extreme weather events. The purpose is to provide, on a regular and systematic basis, a global picture of the behaviour of the climate system in the context of climate variability and climate change.

Since 1993, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), through the Commission for Climatology (CCL) and in cooperation with its Members, has issued annual statements on the status of the global climate. The purpose of the statement is to provide credible scientific information on climate and its variability. The statement describes the climatic conditions, including extreme weather events and provides a historical perspective on the variability and trends that have occurred since the nineteenth century. The statements complement the periodic assessments of the WMO/United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The information contained in the statement enhances our scientific understanding of the climate variability and the associated impacts which affects the well being, properties and lives of people around the world.

Status of the Regional climate

On the regional scale, WMO Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) provide information on the status of the regional climate in the format of monthly and annual  bulletins. These bulletins usually cover climate elements, including temperature, precipitation and snow depth etc. as well as severe weather and ‘significant’ events.

Status of the national climate

In almost all countries, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services provide information on the status of the climate at national scale. In some cases, NMHSs and other national or international entities generate regional or even global climate status information as well.

[Further information] The 2010 Global Statement on the Status of the Global Climate as well as previous years can be downloaded from here.

[Further information] Climate bulletins on the status of the climate can be found under “climate monitoring products on the  World Climate Data and Monitoring Programme (WCDMP) webpage.