Warmest Winter Inspired Weather Expert Services

Warmest Winter Inspired Weather Expert Services



March 2007 - Global warming is in the 
spotlight as the World Meteorological Organization, WMO, today 
opened a four day conference aimed at strengthening weather, 
climate and water services around the world. 
Global temperatures have been higher this winter than at any 
time since since recordkeeping began in 1800, according to the 
U.S. government agency that keeps track of weather conditions. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, 
said Thursday that the combined global land and ocean surface 
temperature from December through February was 0.72 degrees 
Celsius (1.30 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 20th century mean. 

Surface air temperature anomaly mapped for November 2006. The 
El Nino warming pattern shows as a green area off the west 
coast of South America. 
El Nino conditions contributed to the season's record warmth, 
but the episode rapidly weakened in February, as ocean 
temperatures in the central equatorial Pacific cooled until 
they approached average for the month, NOAA said. 
In the Netherlands, it was the mildest winter since regular 
temperature observations were started in 1706,according to the 
national Meteorological Institute, KMNI. Although February 
data is not yet in, KMNI says that December and January were 
much warmer than usual across large parts of Europe. 
Hundreds of experts from around the world are participating in 
the WMO event, which was organized under the patronage of 
Queen Sofia of Spain with the support of the Ministry of 
Environment of Spain, through the National Meteorological 
Institute. 
Spanish Environment Minister Cristina Narbona Ruiz said the 
conference "comes at a time when worldwide concern is at a 
historical high over weather, climate and water related issues 
– some of which have been affecting Spain for many years." 
"It's vital that our experience in addressing these issues be 
shared with all countries and that we in turn can learn from 
and apply the expertise of others," the minister said. 
Spanish Environment Minister Cristina Narbona Ruiz 
The conference, titled Secure and Sustainable Living: Social 
and Economic Benefits of Weather, Climate and Water Services, 
is expected to review the ways in which everyday social and 
economic decisions are influenced by weather, climate and 
water information and the benefits that this information 
actually provides to society and to socio-economic 
development. 
Extreme hydrometeorological events, which account for 90 
percent of all natural disasters, have led in recent years to 
catastrophes with terrible consequences. 
WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud said, "Droughts, floods, 
tropical cyclones, severe storms, cold and hot spells can 
cause loss of life and property, famine, mass migration, 
disease, pollution and environmental degradation, as well 
other far-reaching threats and disasters." 
"However," he said, "appropriate weather, climate and water 
services can help societies prevent, or reduce substantially, 
much of the death toll and destruction." 
Satellite image of the weather over Europe and northwestern 
Africa today. 
Jarraud said, "These services can also assist us in the 
adaptation to climate change and in improving our use of clean 
energy and fresh water resources, managing and protecting our 
natural ecosystems, developing sustainable agricultural 
practices, increasing food security and reducing some of the 
risks affecting recreation and tourism, transportation and 
other important sectors." 
The conference provides a forum for dialogue among the 
producers and end users of weather, climate and water 
information and an opportunity for national meteorological and 
hydrological services, NMHSs, to learn more about how their 
products and services are appraised and used and what 
improvements might be made. 
Conference participants will examine the process of making 
such decisions and craft a set of recommendations on how 
information providers might adapt to the needs of decision 
makers. 
Another goal of the conference is for users of this 
information, especially decision makers, to better understand 
the current capabilities and limitations of NMHSs. 
WMO President Alexander Bedritsky stressed, "It's clear that 
NMHSs in many countries are cripplingly underfunded and lack 
political influence at the highest level." 
Rainfall gauges and thermometers are located at climate 
stations throughout Canada's Atlantic Provinces. They are part 
of a national network that adheres to international standards 
for determining locations and measurements as specified in the 
World Climate Data and Monitoring Program. 
"This conference can address these challenges by increasing 
the overall understanding of how all sectors of society are 
dependent on weather, climate and water related services while 
laying the groundwork for their modernization and 
development," Bedritsky said. 
A comprehensive publication on the global social and economic 
benefits of meteorological and related information, including 
case studies, best practices and useful recommendations is 
expected to result from the conference. 
Information that allows climate scientists to model global 
warming and produce reports such as the February report of the 
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change depends upon the 
accuracy and completeness of data gathered by national 
meteorological and hydrological services around the world. 
During the past century, scientists agree, global surface 
temperatures have increased at a rate near 0.06 degrees 
Celsius (0.11 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade. 
The rate of increase has been three times larger since 1976 - 
0.18 degrees Celsius (0.32 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade, 
with some of the greatest temperature increases occurring in 
the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. 





 

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