In December 2019, WMO issued a third call for nominations for recognition as Centennial Observing Stations and has since received the candidature of 119 stations from 30 Members. The list includes some notable candidates and the Advisory Board for Recognition of Long-term Observing Stations will give them further consideration even though they do not fully meet all recognition criteria.
The candidate stations from Beijing, China, and Downtown Charleston, United States of America, are both exceptional in that they have more than 250 years of observations. Beijing station, in fact, has the longest observing history of all nominees so far – reaching back to 1724. Four other exceptional nominees – Scott Base, in New Zealand, and Bjornoya, Jan Mayen and Svalbard, in Norway – operate in polar regions. Base Orcadas, Argentina, is the only polar region station recognized as a Centennial Station.
Climate, measurement and observation network experts on the Advisory Board have already assessed all the candidates against the criteria for recognition and its recommendations will be discussed at the WMO Executive Council in October 2020. However, the Advisory Board will look at how to highlight the role of this year’s exceptional candidates.
To date, 140 centennial stations in 47 Member States and Territories have been recognized by WMO. Every Centennial Observing Station receives a WMO certificate signed by the Secretary-General and a brass plate to display at the station for public viewing. Centennial observing stations are also specifically flagged in OSCAR and listed in the WMO centennial stations website.
A fourth call for centennial station nominations is tentatively planned for the end of 2020, pending approval of updated recognition criteria by the Executive Council to strengthen the data and metadata criteria for these observing stations.
