It's World Meteorological Day!

Every March 23 the World Meteorological Organization celebrates World Meteorological Day!  It commemorates the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization on this date in 1950. 

Today is meant to celebrate and showcase the contributions of the meteorological and hydrological sciences to the safety and wellbeing of society.  Each year a different theme is chosen and this year the theme is - The Ocean, Our Climate and Weather

When it comes to the weather and climate, we tend to focus on what is happening in the atmosphere. But if we ignore the ocean we are missing a huge piece of the bigger picture.

Image showing location of warmer than normal ocean surface temperatures during El Nino.

Our oceans cover some 70% of the Earth’s surface and are a major driver of the world’s weather and climate. It also plays a central role in climate change. We should also remember that the ocean is also a major driver when it comes to the global economy!  It carries more than 90% of world trade!  That makes it very important for researchers to continue their work monitoring the changes in our oceans and creating models for how it may affect our planet in the years and decades ahead.

The World Meteorological Organization is the United Nations specialized agency for climate, weather, and water and works for a better understanding of the link between ocean, climate and weather. This helps us understand the world in which we live and helps us strengthen our ability to keep our lives and our property safe by reducing the risk of disaster as well as maintain our economies.

Additional sources: WMO

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