METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - A SHORT HISTORY

First meteorological activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina started during Austro-Hungarian ruling in this country. Shortly:

• 1879. First three military meteorological stations in Sarajevo, Mostar and Tuzla had been established.

• 1881. governmental decision for wider network. New stations started in Banja Luka, Travnik, Bihac and in same time, 68 observational points were organized in B&H.

• 1894 Observatory at the top of mountain Bjelasnica start ed it’s work (2067 m sea level). First official measurments started in August.

• 1895 January, Bjelasnica Observatory starts publishing various meteorological data . This station had important role for whole region as it had been one of the highest meteorological points in this part of Europe. Data from whole last century had been preserved from war destructions and now they are archived in Meteorological Institute together with data from many other stations.

• 1947 Republic Hydro-Meteorological Institute has been established. Till 1992 this Institute was central point for collection of data from many stations. During the war, in period from 1992 - 1995, Institute didn’t stop it’s activities in all region of B&H where it was possible.

• 1994 (30 of June) Bosnia and Herzegovina became a full member of World Meteorological Organization.

• After Dayton agreement, due to the specific political organization of B&H with two Entities, Hydromet Service suffered changes in it's own structure. Today we have two Hydro meteorological Institutes (one for each Entity).
Focal point at the level of B&H for co-ordination and international co-operation is Ministry for Civil Affairs of B&H. Aeronautical meteorology is under Department for Civil aviation which belongs to The Ministry for Transportation and Communication at the level of B&H.

• Up to now, Hydromet Institutes didn't recover costs from air navigation charges. Exchange of hydro meteorological data between entity's Institutes goes on regular basis.
• At the present time, three main synoptic stations from B&H regulary send reports in global exchange, two stations are included in inter-regional exchange, and eleven stations exchange the data at regional level.