Rothamsted Research to be commemorated by The World Meteorological Organisation

The World Meteorological Organisation will bestow 'Centennial Station' status upon Rothamsted Research for its global importance in long term climate monitoring.

A ceremony will be held at the agricultural research institute's Hertfordshire campus, marking over 140 years as an operating weather station.

The weather records at Rothamsted have revealed dramatic changes in both temperature and rainfall over the last twenty-five years, especially in the first twelve years of this century.

Tony Scott, who runs the weather recording station, says sites like Rothamsted have been crucial in aiding scientific understanding of the rate and scale of man-made climate change and their effect on agriculture and the environment.

The Institute is well known for its long-term data sets, thanks to the world's oldest running field experiments.

This announcement comes at the end of 12 months of celebrations marking Rothamsted's 175th year.