Manual on the integrated global observing system (WIGOS)

Summary

The fourth edition of the Manual on the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WMO-No. 1160) was approved by the WMO Executive Council at its seventy-sixth session, replacing the third edition from 2021. The Manual was developed collaboratively by the Inter-Commission Coordination Group on WIGOS and its Task Team, involving all relevant technical commissions under the leadership of the former Commission for Basic Systems (CBS) and the former Commission for Instruments and Methods of Observation (CIMO).

The Manual outlines the obligations of WMO Members in implementing and operating WIGOS, aiming to facilitate cooperation in observations and ensure uniformity and standardization of practices. It serves as Annex VIII to the Technical Regulations (WMO-No. 49) and complements the three volumes and annexes that make up the Technical Regulations. The Manual specifies observational requirements at national, global, and regional levels, and is part of the broader WMO effort to include all technical regulations for its component observing systems under WIGOS.

For hydrological observations, which lack a widely implemented base of global standards, the Manual requests compliance with specified provisions to ensure quality and comparability. Appendices are used to handle detailed provisions and facilitate ongoing review and updates.