World Meteorological Day 2026

It’s one of the most asked questions.

We take it for granted that we can find the answer in a matter of seconds at the touch of a mobile phone screen or flick of the television switch.

But behind each forecast are millions of observations, crunched through thousands of processors in the extraordinary and unique global network coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). 

Wherever you may be – on land, at sea or in the air – the forecasts you are using are reliant on the free and open exchange of observational data orchestrated by WMO. 

From satellites orbiting Earth, to weather balloons released into the atmosphere, to ocean buoys and ships riding the waves, to remote stations, meteorological observations underpin everything from our daily routines to multi-billion dollar decisions. 

The immense and often invisible observing and prediction system coordinated by WMO s the backbone of our economies. It is the central nervous system for early warnings, which have saved many millions of lives.

This World Meteorological Day therefore celebrates the work of the WMO community in observing our Earth to protect communities today and build resilience for tomorrow.