HAGÅTÑA —Monday marks World Meteorological Day, observed annually on March 23 to commemorate the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization on that date in 1950 and to recognize meteorologists around the world who work to track, understand and communicate the forces that shape daily life.
The WMO, a United Nations organization created to replace the International Meteorological Organization, began operations in 1951 to coordinate member nations in the fields of meteorology, operational hydrology and Earth sciences. The first World Meteorological Day was observed on March 23, 1961. Each year the organization announces a theme reflecting a current weather, climate or water-related issue.
This year’s theme is “Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow,” a reminder that effective forecasting depends on billions of observations gathered from sensors, gauges, weather balloons and community members across the globe.
Landon Aydlett, a meteorologist with the U.S. National Weather Service in Guam and a regular contributor to Good Morning Marianas, marked the occasion with a message of appreciation for the collaborative nature of the work.
“We can’t effectively do the job without the billions of weather observations from sensors, gauges, balloons, but also people from across the community,” Aydlett said.
For island communities like those in the Marianas, accurate weather observation carries particular weight. Storms, typhoons and shifting sea conditions can affect safety, shipping, fishing and daily life across remote stretches of open ocean — making the work of forecasters like Aydlett a daily public service for residents across the region.
