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World Meteorological Day 2023 will focus on the theme, ‘The Future of Weather, Climate and Water across Generations’. It is celebrated every 23rd of March in remembrance of the day the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) was established.
Meteorology is the science of dealing with the atmosphere and its phenomena. It includes both weather and climate. Weather refers to short-term changes in the atmosphere, while climate is the average weather in an area over a longer period. Weather can change from hour-to-hour, day-to-day, month-to-month, or even year-to-year. Weather patterns recorded for several years at different places give us a clue about what is happening to the climate.
Beyond weather forecasting, meteorology is concerned with long-term trends in climate and weather and their potential impact on human populations. An important area of meteorological research these days is climate change and its impacts.
So why is the study of atmospheric conditions called meteorology? The term is derived from Ancient Greece. The Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote a book called “Meteorologica,” (340 B.C.E.) which represented all kinds of data and concepts related to weather and climate which prevailed during that time period. Read more about the word Meteorology here, Archived.
Status of Meteorology in Sri Lanka
In conjunction with World Meteorological Day, we conducted a survey among the general public and collected data for a month. According to the results, 53% of the respondents are not satisfied with the weather data produced by the meteorological department of Sri Lanka. Of course, 12% are very satisfied with the meteorological department. However, many people are not very satisfied with the local weather forecast. On a scale of 1-4, 1 being not reliable and 4 being extremely reliable, we asked the public about their thoughts on local weather forecasts.
The CFC team contacted the Director of the meteorological department, Meteorologist Muditha Malika Wimalasooriya, regarding several trends we observed in our survey. Hence, this article may answer your doubts about local weather forecasting.
The biggest problem which arose from the general public was what kind of data is being collected and how much technology is being used at local meteorological stations.
Sri Lankan meteorological department (DOM) is established to collect meteorological data and analyze and archive it for the country, the world, and the next generation. We asked the director of DOM, Muditha Malika Wimalasuriya, about how weather data is processed in Sri Lanka. Director Malika Wimalasuriya explained that the meteorological department collects meteorological data through synoptic stations, pilot balloon stations, and radiosonde stations. Information about the weather forecasts, weather warnings, sunrise, new moon, solar eclipse, lunar eclipse, and climate data is provided.
The weather forecast is very important for the local community of Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the department issues two types of weather forecasts. Short-range forecasts include,
- Public weather forecasts
- Sea area forecasts
- Aviation weather forecasts
In addition, medium-range forecast includes information about droughts and rainfall, mainly related to climate data. Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean. Many people’s livelihoods depend on the weather and climate. In the coastal community, mainly the fishing industry takes place. When going inland, most people depend on farming. Let’s look at why an accurate weather forecast is vital for Sri Lankans.
Importance of the weather forecast for fisheries and naval community
Weather forecasting is extremely important to both the fishery and naval communities for a variety of reasons. Both the fishery and naval communities operate in open waters where weather conditions can change rapidly and unpredictably. Since safety is most crucial out at sea, accurate weather forecasts allow these communities to make informed decisions about when it is safe to operate on the water and when it is necessary to return to port.
Fishermen and naval operators rely on accurate weather forecasts to plan their activities and ensure that they have the necessary equipment and resources in hand. This includes knowing when to launch and retrieve boats, as well as when to perform maintenance and repairs. Weather forecasting is also important for resource management. Fishermen use weather forecasts to determine where to fish and what types of gear to use. In addition, severe weather events such as hurricanes, Tsunamis, and typhoons can cause risks to life. In our experience during the Tsunami that hit local coastlines on December 2004, we saw that many fishermen went out to sea due to the lack of awareness. Accurate forecasting and early warning systems are important to handle such conditions.
Read our article on “Sri Lanka’s vulnerability to maritime disasters” for more interesting content on maritime disasters.
Technological advancement in meteorological data analysis
According to our study, many people say that the use of technology in Sri Lanka is low. They also said that there is no modern technology. Here are some of those responses.
“According to the technology available in Sri Lanka, there are some drawbacks in notifying these accidents in advance. The information given a day before is more accurate than the information is given about a week ago,” director of DOM, Malika Wimalasuriya, stated. “Weather is something that changes quickly. There are some conditions that we can notify in advance, but most climate disasters can only be addressed before a day or two, he added.
Meteorological data and its impact on agriculture and food security of Sri Lanka
As we mentioned earlier, agriculture is another leading sector of the country that depends on weather and climate. Weather parameters determine many agronomic events, such as plant growth and development, the epidemiology of fungal diseases, and the development stages of pests. Either way, the people who depend on agriculture will be affected. We have talked about these conditions, climate change and, agriculture, food security through a number of articles. You can visit our website for more information and all the links are mentioned at the end of this article.
There is a subject called Agricultural meteorology, which is the science that applies knowledge of weather and climate to qualitative and quantitative improvement in agriculture. Rainfall and drought data is the most important thing in agriculture. Director Malika Wimalasooriya explains that the “meteorological department can only provide wind, temperature and rainfall data accurately.” Our study also showed that people trust the data provided by the meteorological department now more than they used to in the past. Below are some comments appreciating their work.
He further explained that they are facing problems locating the exact positions of weather predictions. He added that the data might also be misinterpreted in several districts and villages. This seems to be the major roadblock to the lack of modern prediction facilities and fast weather changes during disaster conditions.
Traditional concepts and their usage
We are already facing the long-term impacts of Climate Change. However, the farmer who followed traditional farming methods now has difficulty farming due to unpredictable weather conditions. Due to this, the harvests are damaged, and the yields are insufficient leading to food insecurity. This affects the livelihood of farmers, citizens of the country, the health system, and, subsequently, the economy of the country. According to the random data sampling of our public survey, 102 responses were recorded and mainly answered by people over 25 years. According to our survey results, 49% believe in traditional weather prediction concepts, and only 7.8 % don’t do so.
We wanted to find out why the meteorological department cannot integrate some of these traditional weather prediction techniques for national weather predictions. Meteorologist, Malika Warnasooriya explained that the country could not address the rapidly changing climate through traditional methods.
Impacts of Weather Patterns on the Economy.
Weather conditions can have a significant impact on the economic viability of agriculture, fisheries, and naval communities. For example, severe weather events such as hurricanes and typhoons can damage boats and equipment, disrupt supply chains, and affect the availability and quality of fish and seafood products. In addition, damage, harvest loss, and disease spread on agricultural products limit the food supply, where the country will have to depend on imports. Hence, accurate and timely weather forecasts are essential to the safety, efficiency, and economic well-being of both communities. Without access to this information, these communities would be at greater risk of financial losses.
“However, with the funding of Japan, Sri Lanka will soon receive novel equipment for quantitative precipitation forecasting,” director Malika Wimalasuriya added. “It can cover a quarter of the country’s forecast, unfortunately not all. He further explained that Sri Lanka needs at least four pieces of equipment to produce well-accurate results.”
We also discussed about the challenges faced by the meteorological department in meeting their set targets. Through our public survey, we found that many people blame the meteorology department for the failed weather forecasts. Director Malika Wimalasuriya explained that the country’s financial barrier is the main problem limiting them from setting the expected standard in predictions.
Despite these efforts, there is still much work to be done to mitigate the impacts of climate change in Sri Lanka. Continued international cooperation and support, along with innovative and sustainable solutions, will be necessary to effectively address accurate weather forecasts and face global challenges successfully.
