World Meteorological Organization

Historical  Background of the Tropical Cyclone Programme

• 1971 The WMO Tropical Cyclone Project was initiated by Sixth Congress in response to Resolution 2733 (XXV) of the United Nations General Assembly. A Plan of Action proposed by the former Executive Committee Panel of Experts on Tropical Cyclones forms the basis of the activities.
• 1972  WMO establishes the Tropical Cyclone Project in response to a call for international action to mitigate the harmful effects of tropical cyclones brought about by the disastrous 1970 Bangladesh storm. At the time together with ESCAP, it was co-sponsoring and providing support for the work of two inter- governmental regional organizations, the Typhoon Committee and the Panel on Tropical Cyclones.
• 1974  A working group of WMO's Regional Association for Africa (RA I), the Tropical Cyclone Committee for the South-West Indian Ocean, was set up.
• 1978  A second working group, that of WMO's Regional Association for North America (RA IV), the Hurricane Committee - was established.
• 1979  WMO's Eighth Congress decided to upgrade and widen the scope of the TCP project to become the WMO's Tropical Cyclone Programme in 1980.
• 1980  WMO Tropical Cyclone Project becomes the WMO Tropical Cyclone Programme
• 1981  A Plan of Action for the TCP was drawn up, approved by the WMO Executive Council and published, as requested by Congress.
• 1985  A third working group, this time of WMO's Regional Association for South-West Pacific (RA V), the Tropical Cyclone Committee for the South Pacific and South-East Indian Ocean, was established.
• 1994  The TCP Office in the WMO Secretariat was upgraded to become the Tropical Cyclone Programme Division, while remaining as a part of the World Weather Watch Department.
• 2008  Under restructuring of the WMO Secretariat, TCP Division was shifted as a part of the Weather and Disaster Risk Reduction Services Department.
• 2020  Under restructuring of the WMO Secretariat, TCP is part of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Public Services (DPS) Branch of the Services Department.