The World Meteorological day is celebrated annually on March 23^rd 2018. The World Meteorological Organization was founded on this day and every year the organization announces a slogan for World Meteorological Day and is celebrated in all member countries. The WMO is “an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 191 Member States and Territories”. It originated from the International Meteorological Organisation (IMO), which was founded in 1873. Established by the ratification of the WMO Convention on March 23, 1950, WMO became the specialized agency of the United Nations for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences a year later.

           

    It is “the UN System’s authoritative voice on the state and behavior of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources”.

 

     This year, the theme of the daylong observance is “Weather-Ready, Climate Smart”. Last year, World Meteorological Day highlighted the “enormous importance of clouds for weather climate and water” and celebrated the inherent beauty and aesthetic appeal of clouds. 

 

            

    It continues where 2017 left-off- “with extreme weather which has claimed lives and destroyed livelihoods.” Through the theme, WMO underscores the importance of being weather-ready. An early warning is an important factor in disaster risk reduction; and multi hazard early warnings enable those concerned to simultaneously address flooding, storms, and other major hazards, long before such hazards arise.

 

Being weather-ready requires involving people and the communities at risk and the provision of impact-based early warning. It is preparing those at risk as well as those who may be involved in providing assistance. WMO has launched an initiative to establish a global and standardized multi hazard alert system in collaboration with Nation Meteorological and Hydrological Services worldwide.