Setting up an effective Climate Watch System for climate extremes has been for more than a decade a focus of the WMO and to improve climate risk management capabilities among nations.  Such climate warning system e.g. climate watch systems are designed to provide advisories (climate watches) to inform the users, particularly those involved in natural hazard preparedness, mitigation and response on ongoing, pending and/or expected climate anomalies and their negative impacts.

In order for countries to make the transition from “crisis management” policies to “risk assessment/ risk management” policies, it is important that information on the state of the climate system is provided to relevant decision-making organizations and user community intermediaries. A set of guidelines was developed by WMO in collaboration with CCl to assist NMHSs in developing climate watches and organizing sound Climate Watch Systems. These guidelines have also been summarized and published in a WMO brochure.