Celebrating early warning collaboration on World Meteorological Day

23/03/2025

Issued: 23 March 2025

Today is World Meteorological Day and an opportunity to recognise the contributions of national weather and water agencies across the world.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the specialised agency of the United Nations for meteorology, operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences, commemorates World Meteorological Day on 23 March each year. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the WMO.

The Bureau of Meteorology continues to play a leading role in supporting Pacific Islands nations to prepare for and respond to the impacts of severe weather and a changing climate. The Bureau engages in several initiatives in the Pacific region aligned to this year’s theme of “Closing the early warning gap”.

In partnership with the Pacific Meteorological Council, the Bureau supports the Weather Ready Pacific (WRP) program, to enhance early warning systems and increase climate resilience in the Pacific.

As part of the initiative, the Bureau provides technical guidance and advice to help the Pacific improve its infrastructure, systems and training.

General Manager of International Development, Dr Andrew Jones said the program supports the Pacific region in benefiting from advances in forecast and warning systems for weather, hydrological and oceanic events, enabling increased accuracy specificity and lead times of forecasts.

"Severe weather events devastate Pacific Island communities through loss of life and damage to homes and infrastructure, agricultural lands, livelihoods, and economies," Dr Jones said.

“Climate change escalates the Pacific's vulnerability to extreme events by increasing their intensity and/or frequency.

“The Bureau supports Pacific meteorological leaders in providing technical guidance and advice to ensure that every Pacific Island person will be safer from severe weather and the impacts of climate change.”

The Bureau also works with stakeholders in Pacific Island countries to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate variability through the Climate and Oceans Support Program in the Pacific (COSPPac) and, in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization and the Papua New Guinea Weather Service, the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems Papua New Guinea (CREWS-PNG).

Dr Jones said Papua New Guinea’s diverse topography and highly variable rainfall means a limited rain gauge network is insufficient to accurately assess rainfall distribution.

"The Bureau’s technical advice of extensive and uniform coverage of satellite-based precipitation observations provide a more precise picture of rainfall," Dr Jones said.

"CREWS-PNG closes the early warning gap, benefiting over 200 users in agriculture, water, energy, and emergency services with improved decision-making and climate resilience.

"Meteorology operates outside of political and geographical boundaries. The Bureau works with partners in other countries, sharing information and resources to benefit people in Australia and around the world."

Find out more information about the Weather Ready Pacific (WRP) program here: Program Summary and about World Meteorological Day here: World Meteorological Day

ENDS...