World Meteorological Organization

The Executive Committee of the World Meteorological Organization held its fourth session in Geneva from October 6 through 26, 1953. Formal approval was given to all the new meteorological codes and forms of message recommended by the Commission for Synoptic Meteorology. The Secretary-General (Swaboda) was asked to prepare a report on the different units of measurement used in weather reports (Celsius v. Fahrenheit, knots v metres per second, millimeters v. inches, etc.) in order that the WMO Congress, to which the Executive Committee referred the question, could determine the desirability of a universal agreement on units for weather reports. Various recommendations of the Commission for Climatology and the Commission for Aerology concerning the need for publishing surface and upper air observations were considered. The International Barometer Convention proposed by the Commission for Instruments and Methods of Observation was approved, and members were asked to apply the Convention from January 1, 1955. The Executive Committee also considered problems relating to the publication of the new international cloud atlas, especially the text of the abridged atlas and the revision of the English text of the main volume. General satisfaction with the development of the WMO program in the field of technical assistance was expressed by the Executive Committee, which also approved the working arrangement with the Technical Assistance Administration. The Secretary-General was authorized to continue negotiations with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on a working agreement; a working agreement between WMO and the International Civil Aviation Organization was approved to become effective January 1, 1954. It was decided to create a consultative status for interested non-governmental organizations which would entitle them to send observers to the WMO Congress and regional and technical bodies and to present working documents. After deciding to hold the second WMO Congress in April 1955, the Executive Committee adopted a provisional budget for 1954 of $363,000, of which $27,250 was alloted for publications and $64,500 for the production of the international cloud atlas. The fifth session of the committee was scheduled for late August or early September 1954.