World Meteorological Day is being observed today on March 23, 2016. The theme for this year is ‘Hotter, Drier, Wetter. Face the Future’. This theme has been chosen for the World Meteorological Day 2016 as Climate change is slowly disrupting the natural pattern of the seasons, and is also responsible for increasing the frequency and intensity of certain extreme weather events, such as heat waves, droughts and heavy rainfall. The regional meteorological stations of the Indian meteorological department across India will be holding events commemorating the day, through exhibitions, award functions etc. March 23, is designated as the World Meteorological Day by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
The WMO predicts that the climate is fast changing, even as 2015 recorded the highest temperatures. Although the international actors have started responding to the threat of climate change but substantial damage has already been done. Several places around the world are witnessing unusual weather, regular droughts, and even flooding. The changing climate has the potential to drive the world into a new kind of crisis causing water and food shortage.
Also Read- Current Affairs 2016: Know why Water and Jobs have been selected as theme for World Water Day 2016
World Meteorological Organisation
The World Meteorological Organisation is a specialised agency of the United Nations. The convention for the establishment of World Meteorological Organisation was signed in October 1947, and was finally established in 1950 upon ratification by the states. Its mandate is in the areas of meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences. The organisation has also helped foster collaboration between the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services of its Members and furthered the application of meteorology in many areas.
Indian Meteorological Department
In India the Indian Meteorological department is the nodal body for meteorological observations. The Indian Meteorological department was established in 1875 and presently works under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences. The IMD is also one of the 6 regional specialised meteorological centers of the World Meteorological Organisation for forecasting, naming and distribution of warnings for tropical cyclones in the Northern Indian ocean region, which includes Malacca strait, Bay of Bengal, Arabian sea and the Persian Gulf.
Image Courtesy: Getty Images