The United Nations (UN’s) World Meteorological Day (WMD) is annually observed on 23 March worldwide to raise awareness about the significance of understanding weather and climate patterns in tackling global challenges like climate change and extreme weather.
- Every 23 March, the WMD commemorates the coming into force of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on 23 March 1950.
Theme:
i.The theme for World Meteorological Day 2025 is “Closing the Early Warning Gap Together“.
ii.The themes chosen for WMD reflect topical weather, climate, or water-related issues.
Significance of WMD:
i.WMD highlights meteorology’s crucial role in predicting weather patterns, monitoring climate change, and preparing for natural disasters.
ii.It showcases the essential contribution of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) to the safety and well-being of society.
Background:
i.The WMO during its 12th session of the Executive Committee (EC-XII) held from 27 June to 15 July 1960, adopted Resolution 6 (EC-XII) – Annual World Meteorological Day, proclaiming 23 March of every year as World Meteorological Day.
ii.The first-ever WMD was observed on 23 March 1961.
WMO Report:
i.According to the WMO’s Global State of the Global Climate 2024 Report, 2024 was the hottest year in the 175-year observational record, with extreme weather events becoming more frequent and severe.
- The report was published ahead of World Meteorological Day (March 23), World Water Day (WWD) (March 22), and World Day for Glaciers (March 21).
About Early Warning Systems (EWS):
i.Rising sea levels, storms, floods, droughts, and wildfires are increasingly impacting communities, emphasizing the need for effective Early Warning Systems (EWS).
ii.EWS helps anticipate and prepare for disasters before they occur. They are crucial in saving lives, protecting livelihoods, and strengthening community resilience.
About Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative:
i.In 2022, the UN Secretary-General (UNSG), António Guterres, unveiled the “EW4All” initiative to ensure that every person on Earth is safeguarded by Early Warning Systems (EWS) by 2027.
- In November 2022, the UNSG launched the Early Warnings for All: Executive Action Plan 2023–2027 at the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt to implement the initiative.
iii.The EW4All initiative is co-led by the WMO and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), with support from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and other partners.
Progress in Early Warnings for All:
i.As of 2024, 108 countries report some capacity for Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS), more than double the 52 countries in 2015.
iii.The global comprehensiveness score for MHEWS has improved by 39% (from 0.35 to 0.49) since 2015.
2025 Events:
On 24 March 2025, the official ceremony of WMD was held at WMO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Various hybrid events were organized by NMHSs on the theme “Closing the early warning gap together”.
Events in India:
i.The India Meteorological Department (IMD), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), celebrated the WMD 2025 on March 22, 2025, at Mahika Hall, Prithvi Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.
- The event featured a half-day national symposium inaugurated by Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, MoES.
ii.5 books namely Rastriya Panchang 2025, Monograph on Precipitation Chemistry, Annual Rainfall Summary 2024, Pre-Monsoon Thunderstorm Report 2024, and Report on Cyclonic Disturbances over North Indian Ocean during 2024 were released.
iii.The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), IMD, Chennai, Tamil Nadu celebrated the WMD-2025 on 24th March 2025.
About the World Meteorological Organization (WMO):
WMO originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), which was founded in 1873 at the first International Meteorological Congress in Vienna, Austria.
- On March 23, 1950, the IMO became the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) . In 1951, WMO became the specialized agency of the UN .
- 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of WMO.
Secretary-General– Celeste Saulo
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
Established– 1950
Members– As of 2023, WMO has 193 Members, including 187 Member States and 6 Territories
