World Weather Service

a system composed of three worldwide and more than 20 regional meteorological centers, joined together by means of channels of high-speed communication.

The international centers of the world weather service are located in Moscow (the Hydrometeorological Scientific Research Center of the USSR), Washington, and Melbourne. The principal goal of the world weather service is to centralize the collection and processing of information concerning weather conditions throughout the world in order to improve and facilitate the work of national meteorological services. The worldwide and regional centers distribute prepared weather maps, weather reports and forecasts, and compilations of ocean conditions; these data are used by the national and local meteorological services. The collection, processing, and exchange of information through the communications channels has been automated. The world weather service relies on a global system of observations, including various types of ground stations and weather satellites.