World Meteorological Day - History, Significance, Theme

World Meteorological Day is celebrated annually on March 23 to commemorate the establishment of the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization. This day highlights the critical role of meteorological services in society's safety and well-being and is marked with activities worldwide. World Meteorological Day is celebrated by all UN member states.

World Meteorological Organization was founded on March 23, 1950, to promote global cooperation in geophysics, atmospheric science, climatology, etc. We have shared further information about this organization and World Meteorological Day here.

World Meteorological Day 2023

The World Meteorological Organization celebrated World Meteorological Day on March 23 every year. This is a significant day that raises awareness about the work and achievements of the World Meteorological Organization. This year, the World Meteorological Day 2023 theme is “The Future of Weather, Climate and Water across Generations.”

All the member states of the United Nations celebrate this day annually. The World Meteorological Organization was established to replace the International Meteorological Organization. We have shared a brief overview of World Meteorological Day here.

About World Meteorological Organisation

• The World Meteorological Organisation or the WMO is a United Nations agency.
• It was established on March 23, 1950, and every year, March 23 is commemorated as World Meteorological Day.
• The department takes care of other related fields like Atmospheric Chemistry or Oceanography.
• The WMO also manages about 191 states with National Meteorological and Hydrological centres in their provinces.
• WMO aims to make weather, climate, and water accessible to everyone who uses these natural elements.

World Meteorological Day 2023 Theme

The World Meteorological Organization announces a new theme for World Meteorological Day every year. All the global events for March 23 revolve around the theme and all discussions, etc. on this day are also held around the selected theme. The World Meteorological Day 2023 theme is “The Future of Weather, Climate and Water across Generations.”

This year’s World Meteorological Day theme intends to explore the history of weather, climate and water. We have also shared the details of last year’s theme set by the World Meteorological Organization on March 23, 2022.

World Meteorological Day 2022 Theme

• The theme of World Meteorological Day 2022 is “Early Warning and Early Action.”
• According to the WMO's website, the subject was chosen to highlight the WMO's focus on linking the ocean, climate, and weather within the Earth System.
• The World Meteorological Day theme selected this year aimed to raise awareness of ocean science and better understand its role in sustainable development.

Previous Year’s World Meteorological Day Themes

Here, we have shared the theme of World Meteorological Day as set by the World Meteorological Organization between the years 2003-2023:

World Meteorological Day - History

The history of World Meteorological Day can be traced back to 1950 when the World Meteorological Organization was officially founded by the United Nations. Here are more details about the history of this day:

• World Meteorological Day is important as it celebrates the founding of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
• One hundred ninety-three countries and territories are now a part of the WMO.
• WMO replaced the International Meteorological Organization (IMO) as the United Nations’ agency working on climate, hydrology and meteorology.
• In 1950, the organisation started to receive funding from the United Nations.
• World Meteorological Day was established in 1961.

How to Celebrate World Meteorological Day?

World Meteorological Day celebrates the founding of the World Meteorological Organization in 1950. Here are some ways in which people celebrate this day:

• Learn more about the World Meteorological Organization and its work.
• Participate in talks and discussions held by organizations on World Meteorological Day.
• Honor the people engaged in World Meteorological Organization for their work.

FAQs on World Meteorological Day

Q1. When is World Meteorological Day celebrated?

World Meteorological Day is celebrated on March 23 every year. This day commemorates the date on which World Meteorological Organization was formed by the United Nations in 1950. World Meteorological Day is observed annually by all member states of the United Nations.

Q2. What is the theme of World Meteorological Day 2023?

World Meteorological Day 2023 theme is “The Future of Weather, Climate and Water across Generations.” This theme explores what could be the future of the climate of our world a few generations from today. World Meteorological Day has a new theme every year.

Q3. Who started World Meteorological Day?

The United Nations started World Meteorological Day by funding the World Meteorological Organization in 1950. World Meteorological Day was first celebrated in 1961. In 1950, World Meteorological Organization replaced the International Meteorological Organization.

Q4. Why do we celebrate World Meteorological Day?

We celebrate World Meteorological Day to commemorate the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization in 1950. On March 23, 1961, the idea of celebrating World Meteorological Day was first conceived and since then, the day has been celebrated annually.

Q5. What was the theme of World Meteorological Day 2022?

World Meteorological Day 2022 theme was “Early Warning and Early Action.” This theme emphasized the importance of taking swift action against climate change to safeguard future generations. The theme of World Meteorological changes every year.