The World Meteorological Organization Executive Council has recognized 20 new Centennial observing stations, which host reliable historical records to preserve the scientific memory of the past in order to understand the present and prepare for the future.
This is in addition to the 455 Centennial Observing Stations (377 meteorological, 63 hydrological and 15 marine observing stations) which have been recognized formally so far.
The EC resolution acknowledges that preserving long-term observing stations, including Centennial Observing Stations, is a responsibility of Members' governments for "sustaining irreplaceable climate information to serve current and future generations' needs for long-term high-quality climate and environmental records."
The newly recognized stations include: five in Namibia, two in Viet Nam, five in Portugal, four in the USA, three in Norway and one in France. The oldest - Susquehanna River hydrological station in the USA - dates back to 1786.
Observations from long-term observing stations and other platforms (including satellites, buoys, vessels, airplanes and so forth) are vital inputs to climate models that scientists use to understand the climate and create credible scenarios of future climate change.
They accurately measure how high-impact events such as intense heatwaves or extreme rainfall are changing in terms of occurrence, and so make it possible to evaluate risks and find solutions.
Beyond providing consistent data over decades, many Centennial Observing Stations also contribute to the WMO World Weather Watch system, ensuring that weather data are shared around the world every day.
WMO's climate monitoring and its annual State of the Global Climate reports would not be possible without long-term observations from weather stations around the world. These make an essential contribution to our understanding of the climate system and inform international mechanisms such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
