- A 14-carat gold medal 57 mm in diameter. It bears on one side the official WMO emblem and on the other side the Latin inscription Pro singulari erga scientiam meteorologicam merito
- A monetary award of 10 000 Swiss francs
- A parchment scroll

The IMO Prize originates from the International Meteorological Organization, the predecessor to WMO. The IMO Prize is awarded annually. The first was presented to Dr Th. Hesselberg of Norway in 1956.
2022 | ![]() |
Dr Sue Barrell (Australia)Sue Barrell of Australia honored for outstanding leadership (WMO News) |
2021 | ![]() |
Professor In-Sik Kang (Republic of Korea)WMO awards IMO prize to Prof. In-Sik Kang (WMO News) IMO Prize Ceremony Lecture (PowerPoint) |
2020 | ![]() |
Mr David Grimes (Canada) |
2019 | ![]() |
Professor Sergej Zilitinkevich (Russian Federation)Sergej Zilitinkevich Memorial Award (see also Sergej Zilitinkevich Memorial Award Established) |
2018 |
Dr Antonio Divino Moura (Brazil)Divino Moura of Brazil wins IMO Prize (WMO News) IMO Prize Winner 2018, Presentation (video)
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2017 |
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Professor Gordon McBean (Canada)WMO presents top scientific prize to Gordon McBean of Canada (WMO News) |
2016 |
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Professor Qing-Cun Zeng (People's Republic of China)Interview in Bulletin 64/1, 2015 Career highlights (in Chinese) |
2015
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Professor Dame Julia Slingo DBE (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)The Evolution of Climate Science: A personal view from Julia Slingo (article based on her IMO prize lecture) Toward seamless climate-weather and environmental prediction (video);
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Dr Alexander Bedritsky (Russian Federation) - President of WMO, 2003-2011WMO's role in the global soio-economic (sustainable) development (IMO prize scientific lecture PowerPoint); |
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Dr Tillmann Mohr (Germany)Interview in WMO Bulletin Vol 54/1, page 27 |
2012 | ![]() |
Dr Zaviša Janjić (Serbia/United States of America) |
2011 | ![]() |
Professor Aksel Wiin-Nielsen (Denmark) |
2010 | ![]() |
Professor Taroh Matsuno (Japan) |
2009 | ![]() |
Professor Eugenia Kalnay (Argentina/United States of America) |
2008 | ![]() |
Mr Qin Dahe (People's Republic of China)
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2007 | ![]() |
Professor Jagadish Shukla (India/United States of America)Interview in WMO Bulletin Vol 54/4, page 185
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2006 | ![]() |
Professor Lennart Bengtsson (Sweden)Tropical cyclones in a warmer climate (IMO prize speech, published in WMO Bulletin Vol 56/3, page 196); Interview in WMO Bulletin Vol 53/3, page 191
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2005 | ![]() |
Dr John W. Zillman (Australia) - President of WMO, 1995-2003The WMO legacy for the 21st century: meteorology as a model for humanity (IMO prize speech, WMO Bulletin Vol 55/3, page 191); The challenges for meteorology in the 21st century (IMO prize speech, WMO Bulletin Vol 54/4, page 224); Related material: Adaptation to a variable and changing climate: challenges and opportunities for National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (WMO Bulletin Vol 58/3) |
2004 | ![]() |
Dr Bennet Machenhauer (Denmark)Related material: Spectral Methods |
2003 | ![]() |
Dr Ye Duzheng (People's Republic of China) |
2002 | ![]() |
Dr Joanne Simpson (United States of America)
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2001 | ![]() |
Professor M. H. Ganji (Iran, Islamic Republic of)Pioneers in Meteorology in I.R. of Iran: three generations - (published pn the occasion of IMO Prize 2001 for Dr. M. H. Ganji) |
2000 | ![]() |
Professor Emeritus Edward Norton Lorenz (United States of America)The nature and theory of the general circulation of the atmosphere - The First IMO Lecture, presented at the Fifth Congress in 1967 |
1999 | ![]() |
Professor James C. I. Dooge (Ireland) |
1998 | ![]() |
Sir John Houghton (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) |
1997 | ![]() |
Professor Mariano A. Estoque (Philippines) |
1996 | ![]() |
Professor Tiruvalum N. Krishnamurti (United States of America) |
1995 | ![]() |
Dr Roman L. Kintanar (Philippines) - President of WMO, 1979-1987The World of Weather and Water - an interview with Dr Kintaner |
1994 | ![]() |
Dr J.P. Bruce (Canada) |
1993 | ![]() |
Professor W. E. Suomi (United States of America) |
1992 | ![]() |
Professor Yuri Antonievich Izrael (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) |
1991 | ![]() |
Professor Ragnar Fjørtoft (Norway)
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1990 | ![]() |
Dr Richard E. Hallgren (United States of America) |
1989 | ![]() |
Professor Pisharoth Rama Pisharoty (India) |
1988 | ![]() |
Professor F. Kenneth Hare (Canada) |
1987 | ![]() |
Professor M. I. Budyko (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) |
1986 | ![]() |
Professor Hermann Flohn (Germany) |
1985 | ![]() |
Sir Arthur Davies (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) |
1984 |
Dr T. F. Malone (United States of America) |
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1983 | ![]() |
Mr M. F. Taha (Egypt) - President of WMO, 1971-1979Professor Juan Jacinto Burgos (picture) (Argentina) |
1982 | ![]() |
Dr William James Gibbs (Australia) |
1981 | ![]() |
Professor Bert Bolin (Sweden)Global biogeochemical characteristics of the biosphere and their dependence on climate and climate change - Presentation of the Fourth IMO Lecture at the Eighth Congress in 1979 |
1980 | ![]() |
Dr Robert M. White (United States of America) |
1979 | ![]() |
Professor Helmut Erich Landsberg (United States of America) |
1978 | ![]() |
Dr Alf E. G. E. Nyberg (Sweden) - President of WMO, 1963-1971 |
1977 | ![]() |
Dr G. P. Cressman (United States of America) |
1976 | ![]() |
Academician E. K. Fedorov (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) |
1975 | ![]() |
Dr Warren L. Godson (Canada) |
1974 | ![]() |
Professor Joseph Smagorinsky (United States of America) |
1973 | ![]() |
Dr Charles Henry Brian Priestley (Australia)Mr John Stanley Sawyer (picture) (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) |
1972 | ![]() |
Academician Victo r Antonovich Bugaev (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) |
1971 | ![]() |
Professor Jule Gregory Charney (United States of America) |
1970 | ![]() |
Dr Richard Th. A. Scherhag (Germany) |
1969 | ![]() |
Professor Erik Herbert Palmén (Finland) |
1968 | ![]() |
Sir Graham Sutton (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) |
1967 | ![]() |
Professor Kirill Y. Kondratyev (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) |
1966 | ![]() |
Professor Tor Bergeron (Sweden) |
1965 | ![]() |
Professor Sverre Petterssen (Norway/ United States of America) |
1964 | ![]() |
Dr Francis W. Reichelderfer (United States of America) - President of WMO, 1951-1955 |
1963 | ![]() |
Dr Reginald Cockcroft Sutcliffe (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) |
1962 | ![]() |
Dr Anders Ångström (Sweden) |
1961 | ![]() |
Professor Kalpathi Ramakrishna Ramanathan (India) |
1960 | ![]() |
Professor Jacques Van Mieghem (Belgium) |
1959 | ![]() |
Professor Jacob Bjerknes (Norway/ United States of America) |
1958 | ![]() |
Mr Ernest Gold (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) |
1957 | ![]() |
Professor Carl Gustav Rossby (Sweden/United States of America) |
1956 | ![]() |
Dr Th. Hesselberg (Norway) |