Vaisala Celebrates World Meteorological Day

Meteorology

Sustainability

Weather & Environment

World Meteorological Day (WMD) is celebrated on March 23 each year to commemorate the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). However, this year’s WMD is even more special, as it takes place during the 150th anniversary of WMO’s predecessor, the International Meteorological Organization.

The International Meteorological Organization was founded in 1873, making it the oldest specialized agency of the United Nations. Its mission is to facilitate international cooperation in the field of meteorology and to promote the safety and well-being of people and the environment.

At Vaisala, we are proud to contribute to the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) mission of promoting the safety and well-being of people and the environment. As we celebrate the WMO's 150th anniversary, we reflect on our own commitment to sustainability and environmental measurement solutions that help fight against climate change.

Our Ocean, Our Climate and Weather – from pole to pole

Studying the polar regions also means studying our oceans, climate and weather. The Arctic and Antarctic are interrelated not just because of rising temperatures, but also because the melting of sea ice and ice sheets affects the levels and salinity of the world’s oceans.

In recent years, Vaisala has been providing weather sensors and data to support vital research in the region. For example, researchers from the Italian Antarctic Meteo-Climatological Observatory (IAMCO) are using a Vaisala Lidar Ceilometer CL61 to study cloud formation and physical mechanisms in Antarctica's atmosphere. The Italian Antarctic campaign aims to expand understanding of climate change by analyzing variations in the continent's atmosphere over different timescales. Through in situ measurements, researchers can now detect supercooled liquid clouds in the Mario Zucchelli area, providing insight into cloud formation and characterization. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of climate variability in the polar environment.

Not too far from the Mario Zucchelli area, is the Jang Bogo Station, South Korea's second Antarctic research base and the first research mission base on the mainland. Here, the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) uses a Vaisala AUTOSONDE® automatic sounding station to measure the prevailing conditions in this remote and harsh environment. This data is, in turn, shared with the WMO’s Global Telecommunications System. You can read more in this blog.

Meteorology on the high seas

Braving the unforgiving conditions of Antarctic Ocean is Australia’s RSV Nuyina, polar research vessel. In these harsh conditions, RSV Nuyina benefits from a comprehensive Vaisala Environmental Monitoring System to carry out a variety of research projects from studying climate change impacts to collecting data on weather, environmental or atmospheric events, and researching the Antarctic ecosystem.

To the next 150 years

As the day-to-day impacts of climate change and extreme weather events continue to grow, Vaisala remains committed to innovating and equipping the meteorological community with the best measurement technology to better understand, forecast, and explain the meteorological and atmospheric phenomena.

And as we celebrate World Meteorological Day and contemplate on the challenges of climate change, it is clear that accurate and reliable methods of detecting and measuring the weather and environment have a pivotal role in ensuring a sustainable future.