World Meteorological Day: Understanding clouds that play a pivotal role in weather forecasts, warnings

Image credit: WMO/YouTube

New Delhi: Each year, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), its members and the worldwide meteorological community around the world celebrate World Meteorological Day on 23rd March around a chosen theme.

The theme for this year's World Meteorological Day is 'understanding clouds', which highlights the enourmous importance of clouds for weather climate and water.

There are many kinds of clouds which are made of water drops or ice crystals floating in the sky.

Clouds are central to weather forecasts and warnings. Clouds are essential to the Earth-atmosphere system and are one of the key uncertainties in the study of climate change. That's why we need to better understand how clouds affect the climate and how a changing climate will affect clouds.

Clouds also play a critical role in the water cycle and shaping the global distribution of water resources.

Clouds also help regulate Earth's energy balance and redistribute extra heat from the equator toward the poles.

Therefore, understanding clouds is essential for forecasting weather conditions, modelling the impacts of future climate change and predicting the availability of water resources.

In its latest report on the state of the global climate, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said that extreme weather and climate conditions have continued in 2017 even as the year 2016 made history, with a record global temperature, exceptionally low sea ice, and unabated sea level rise and ocean heat.

Perhaps, newly released studies, which are not included in WMO’s report, indicate that ocean heat content may have increased even more than previously reported.

World Meteorological Day commemorates the creation of the World Meteorological Organization on 23 March in 1950.

On the lighter side, this World Meteorological Day also provides an opportunity to celebrate the inherent beauty and aesthetic appeal of clouds, which has inspired artists, poets, musicians, photographers and countless other enthusiasts throughout history. 

On this day, the WMO is calling for your cloud photos. You can post your photos of beautiful clouds using hastag #WorldMetDay.

So celebrate the beauty of clouds this World Meteorological Day!