The official date of birth of Estonian national meteorological service is 18 May 1919, when the Sea Observatory subordinated to the Coast Guard, Communications and Rescue Forces Administration commenced work. A year later, the Sea Observatory went under the management of the University of Tartu. In 1940, the occupation forces renamed Tartu Meteorological Observatory into the Observatory of Geophysics; in addition, the Estonian SSR Hydrometeorological Service Administration was established with their seat in Tallinn. In 1942, the Hydrometeorological Administration was renamed into the Hydrometeorological Institute. On 10 October 1946, the Estonian SSR Hydrometeorological Service became an agency subordinated to the Estonian SSR Council of Ministers. In 1979, the current Hydrometeorological Service was renamed into the Hydrometeorological and Natural Environment Control National Administration (Hüdrometeoroloogia ja Looduskeskkonna Kontrolli Vabariiklik Valitsus, HLKVV), due to additional areas of responsibility. HLKVV existed in this form up to the restoration of the independent Republic of Estonia.
The present Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute was formed by the Government of the Republic Regulation on 1 November 1991. Neighbouring countries Finland and Sweden, whose experiences, advice and technical and financial assistance the institute successfully used, contributed greatly to raising the national meteorological services to the required level. International cooperation was also enhanced and the Republic of Estonia joined the World Meteorological Organisation in 1992. By now, EMHI has joined most of the international organisations and their programs that we need, including the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), the Network of European Meteorological Services (EUMETNET), the high resolution numerical weather prediction programme HIRLAM and the radar system NORDRAD. The aim of EMHI is to be a national meteorological service with world class measuring equipment, modern scientific basis, technology and top specialists, who will ensure meeting the social, economical and strategic need and the need of public security and the population for meteorological and hydrological information as well as the performance of international agreements of the Republic of Estonia in the field of meteorology and hydrology.
Additional information: (18/05/2009) |
