Many countries across the world are putting in a lot of their resources for research on weather with the expectation of reaping more benefits by making accurate predictions compared to the costs involved. Developed countries from Europe, America, Australasia and Asia have set up superior weather services.
The weather across the globe is a result of interaction between massive interconnected systems. Hence, accurate predictions about the weather require proper cooperation between countries all over the world. Since the weather systems move across the globe, predicting the weather of one place depends on the knowledge of present conditions in the adjoining areas.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) was formed to cater to the necessity of the different countries willing to work hand-in-hand. WMO happens to be a very helpful and successful global organization. The countries belonging to this organization are in touch with each other and sharing information about weather since early years of 1950s. As a result, the people of the meteorological offices across several countries can access the database for the world's weather on a day-to-day basis.
Even though the atmosphere provides the earth with a layer of protection, it is very thin. There are distinct layers that together constitute the atmosphere. Since the discovery of the first layer of the atmosphere in 1899, researchers have been able to identify a total of five different layers present between the outer space and the earth's ground. Even though all these layers have their impacts on the climate and weather of the world, about 99% of the weather conditions are because of the troposphere, that forms the first layer.
Extending for about 5 to 10 miles in height from the ground, the troposphere is the highest near the equator and lowest near the poles. The temperature of the air drops by around 4 degrees Fahrenheit for each 1,000 feet rise in altitude through troposphere.
Stratosphere, which is the second layer of the atmosphere, extends for 30 miles over the ground. The air temperatures in this region rise to about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Stratosphere also contains the ozone layer that lies at 15 miles over the ground level.
The next level of atmosphere is known as the mesosphere that goes till 50 miles over the ground. Air temperature in this mesosphere dips down again and may even go down to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
The thermosphere (also known as ionosphere) lies above the mesosphere. The temperatures here shoot up to a maximum of even 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit. This layer protects us from the debris in the outer space. The satellite, meteors and other substances coming down from the space cannot usually survive the extreme temperatures in this layer.
Exosphere lies at the top of all the other atmospheric layers. This layer is made up of different types of gases. But most of the molecules here escape to the outer space as the force of gravity here is too less, resulting in the presence of gases in very small quantities.
In a nutshell, even though troposphere is primarily responsible for the occurrence of the weather, all the layers like exosphere, thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere and the troposphere causes life to survive on the planet.