The Latest Breaking News from WMO

Only a third of major river basins last year had flows within normal range

The Earth's protective ozone layer is healing and the hole should fully disappear in coming decades, the United Nations said in a report released on Tuesday, hailing the success of concerted international action.

Experts say hotter conditions hinder long-term health and economic security as workers increasingly suffer from conditions such as heatstroke.

France, Spain, Greece and Turkey are all battling wildfires as a new heatwave brings record temperatures surpassing 42 degrees Celsius.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) certified a new record for the longest lightning strike ever documented, measuring 829 kilometers, using data collected during a thunderstorm in October 2017.

The 2017 flash, which stretched from east Texas to near Kansas City, beat the previous record by almost 50 miles

This year, Australia has experienced record-breaking floods, tropical cyclones, heatwaves on land and in the ocean, drought, coral bleaching, coastal erosion and devastating algal blooms. Over the past five years, insured losses from extreme events have risen to A$4.5 billion annually – more than double the 30-year average.

Germany faced forest fire warnings, Spain saw rising interest in Nordic vacations, and Poland experienced historic river drying as massive heatwaves persisted over the past period.

The World Meteorological Organization maintains a list of 21 hurricane names for each year. In especially busy years, a supplemental list is used.