BELHYDROMET

History of the Development of the Hydrometeorological Service of Belarus

Throughout all ages, humanity has demonstrated a deep interest in nature, its extreme weather conditions, and phenomena. Information about the most remarkable climatic events in the past on the territory of Belarus can be gleaned from Old Russian and Belarusian-Lithuanian chronicles.

Note. For example: the Nikon and Laurentian Chronicles – in Minsk, during the historically famous Battle on the Nemiga River in 1067 (1066) on March 3, there was "a great snow, a severe winter and terrible cold"; the Hypatian Chronicle – in 1190, "during the winter in Pinsk it was warm, the snow melted"; the South Russian Chronicle – in 1694 on August 3, "near Vitebsk there was a great hailstorm that destroyed all the crops in the fields"; in 1698, "there was a strong storm in Vitebsk."
19th Century. Meteorological observations were organized in Mogilev in 1808, in Vitebsk in 1810, in Brest in 1834, in Bobruisk and Svisloch in 1836, in Grodno in 1837, in Gorki in 1841, and in Minsk in 1849.
On April 1, 1849, by decree of Nicholas I, the Main Physical Observatory (MPO) was established in St. Petersburg on the initiative of Academician Adolph Theodor Kupffer. The eight meteorological stations opened in the aforementioned locations became part of the MPO's reference network. After the organization of the observatory, the meteorological network began to develop more actively. The year 1886 marked a sharp growth of the meteorological network on the territory of the Belarusian provinces – 45 meteorological observation points belonging to various departments were in operation.

Meteorological observation materials, starting from 1850, were published in the "Compendium of MPO Observations," and from 1865 to 1910, they were regularly included in the "Annals of the MPO." In 1895, these annals contained observational materials from 17 stations, and in 1897, data from 21 stations located on Belarusian territory were published. Including third-class stations, weather observations were carried out at nearly 100 points across the Belarusian provinces that year. In 1906, the number of stations published in the GPO Annals increased even further – to 43 (of which 38 were within the modern borders of Belarus).
The first hydrological studies of Belarusian rivers began in the early 18th century, when waterways began to be developed and navigable canals were being constructed. More systematic studies of Belarusian rivers began with the establishment of the Main Administration of Water Communications of Russia. Observations of river ice breakup and freeze-up were first organized in Belarus at the beginning of the 19th century (1808). The first stationary hydrological posts were opened on major rivers of Belarus for navigation purposes in 1876. The study of the rivers of Belarusian Polesia was carried out for an extended period (1873–1898) by the "Western Expedition for Drainage of Swamps" under the leadership of I.I. Zhilinsky. The first official publication to present the results of observations at hydrological posts in Belarus was the "Information on Water Level Conditions on Rivers and Lakes of European Russia Based on Observations at 80 Water Gauge Posts" (1881). Subsequently, from 1881 to 1910, observational materials from the hydrological network, organized by decade, were published in the issues of "Information on Water Levels on Inland Waterways of Russia."
20th century. By 1914, there were 27 meteorological stations, 65 rain gauge posts, and 63 water gauge posts operating in Belarus, belonging to various departments.
Note. This number includes only observation points located within the territory corresponding to the modern Republic of Belarus; the remaining points remained outside the country after the territorial divisions. In total, for example, the meteorological network of the Belarusian provinces included 44 second-class stations and 76 third-class stations. During the period of the First World War and the Civil War, the geography of the hydrometeorological network on the territory of Belarus changed significantly: many meteorological stations and posts ceased operations, were destroyed, and hydrological observations stopped.
Note. Interesting facts.
The Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief in 1914–1916 was located near Baranovichi in specially equipped trains. The Headquarters received complete climatic information, as well as information on weather and hydrological conditions in the front-line areas. A meteorological station operated near the Konstantinovsky Headquarters in the Izabellino-Pruzhany area. Meteorological and hydrological departments worked in Minsk at the Headquarters of the Western Front.

Issues related to the establishment of a new hydrometeorological service began to be addressed from the first days after the October Revolution. On June 21, 1921, the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR issued a decree "On the Organization of the Meteorological Service in the RSFSR," signed by V.I. Lenin, which clearly defined the tasks of the Russian hydrometeorological service. Similar work was carried out in all republics that became part of the union state from 1922 onward, including Belarus. In 1919, only 7 stations, belonging to various departments, were operating in Belarus. In 1921, the operation of 8 water gauge and 2 rain gauge posts was resumed. At that time, hydrometeorological observation points were primarily subordinate to the People's Commissariat of Agriculture (Narkomzem or NKZ) and the People's Commissariat of Railways (Narkomput or NKPS). The meteorological stations in Gorki, Vasilevichi, Maryina Gorka, and Novoye Korolevo remained under the jurisdiction of the GPO. On June 2, 1923, a decision was made regarding the need to organize Belarus's own network of meteorological observations. The newly created network was planned to include the existing network of meteorological stations and posts belonging to the People's Commissariat of Railways – 7 second-class stations and 2 third-class stations.
On July 1, 1924, the Meteorological Bureau under the Experimental Department of Narkomzem began its work. The primary task of the Meteorological Bureau was to provide management and ensure the normal functioning of the existing own and departmental hydrometeorological units of the BSSR, to collect and process the obtained materials, to disseminate necessary hydrometeorological information to interested departments and organizations, and to develop a scientifically based network of stations and posts. Professor N.P. Myshkin was appointed head of the Meteorological Bureau.

Myshkin Nikolay Pavlovich (1864–1936)

July 1, 1924, can be considered the date of the establishment of the Hydrometeorological Service of Belarus. At the very beginning of its operations, the Meteorological Bureau began processing observations from the meteorological network, and materials in the format of the MPO Annals began to be published in 1925. In April 1925, the first Belarusian Weather Bulletin was issued. In July 1926, the first pilot balloon was launched in Minsk. Starting in 1926, agrometeorological observations began, and research work on hail damage was initiated. In early 1927, the Meteorological Bureau was attached to the Belarusian Research Institute of Agriculture and Forestry under the Council of People's Commissars of the BSSR and became part of the Belarusian Geophysical Service organized by the Institute. In 1928, it was transformed into the Department of the Meteorological Station Network of Belgeofiz, which verified and processed observational data from 80 meteorological stations of the republic, compiled monthly weather reviews and assessments of its impact on the condition of crops and grasses, among other tasks.
Note. According to data from the Meteorological Bureau as of February 1, 1927, the following existed on the territory of the BSSR:
20 second-class stations, of which four were maintained by the Main Physical Observatory, seven by the People's Commissariat of Railways of the USSR, and nine by the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the BSSR;
two aerological (pilot balloon) stations (Minsk and Gorki);
37 rain and snow gauge posts, of which 5 belonged to the MPO, 2 to the People's Commissariat of Railways of the USSR, and 30 to the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the BSSR;
40 water and rain gauge posts belonging to the Land Management and Reclamation Department of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the BSSR;
15 snow gauge posts of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the BSSR;
7 water gauge points.
From 1928, the supervision of hydrological work in the republic was entrusted to the hydrological division of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture. That same year, all meteorological stations maintained by the MPO came under the authority of the Meteorological Bureau of the BSSR. The issue of uniting the entire network under a single state body arose.
1930. The Belarusian Hydrometeorological Institute as part of the Hydrometeorological Committee under the Council of People's Commissars of the BSSR.
The resolution of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of August 7, 1929, No. 468 "On the Unification of the Hydrological and Meteorological Services and the Creation of a Unified Service in the Country with the Governing Body – the Hydrometeorological Committee of the USSR" was very timely. In Belarus, in accordance with the resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the BSSR, a republican Hydrometeorological Committee was established, and a regulation was approved for organizing a unified hydrometeorological service on the territory of the BSSR and ensuring its optimal support for all sectors of the national economy and defense (dated March 23, No. 120).
Under the Hydrometeorological Committee, by Resolution No. 170 of the Council of People's Commissars of the BSSR of July 3, 1930, it was decided to create the Belarusian Hydrometeorological Institute, which included: the Belarusian Geophysical Service of the Research Institute of Agriculture and Forestry with its network of meteorological stations; the network of meteorological stations of the People's Commissariat of Railways and experimental stations; the hydrological division of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture with its network of water gauge and rain gauge posts, and later the network of water posts of the Dnipro River Transport and other institutions. To facilitate the operation of the new institute, P.N. Adamov was invited.

Adamov Pavel Nikolaevich (1887–1975)

Kaigorodov Alexey Ivanovich (1881–1951)

In the same year, by a decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the BSSR dated October 3, 1930, a Geophysical Observatory was established in Minsk, which began operating on January 1, 1936, after the completion of the building's construction. A.I.Kaigorodov was appointed head of the observatory. He prepared detailed specifications for the design of a three-story observatory building with a tower and residential buildings for the staff, providing space for the estate and the observatory building, and developed a five-year plan for the development and equipment of the organization.

The building of the Minsk Geophysical Observatory. 1936

Modern view of the observatory. 2016

1931. In connection with a decree of the USSR Council of People's Commissars, the Hydrometeorological Committee was transferred to the jurisdiction of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture.
In February 1931, the number of stations and posts under the Belarusian Hydrometeorological Institute was 40 meteorological and 23 hydrological stations.
1933. The Main Directorate of the Unified Hydrometeorological Service under the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the BSSR (established by a decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the BSSR dated March 28, 1933, reorganizing the Hydrometeorological Committee).
In 1937, the leadership of the hydrometeorological service of Belarus was entrusted to the Smolensk Hydrometeorological Service Administration.
In 1939, the Hydrometeorological Service Administration of the BSSR was established after the reunification of Western Belarus (which had been under Polish rule) with the BSSR.
At the end of 1940, the Administration operated under the name "Belarusian Hydrometeorological Service Administration" and was under the authority of the Main Directorate of the Hydrometeorological Service under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR. In 1941, on the eve of the Great Patriotic War, a technically well-equipped state hydrometeorological network operated on the territory of Belarus, comprising 464 hydrometeorological stations and posts that were an integral part of the USSR Hydrometeorological Service. Among them: 139 meteorological stations of the II and III categories, and 325 hydrological stations and posts.
After the sudden attack of Nazi Germany on the Soviet Union, the territory of Belarus was quickly occupied. The Hydrometeorological Service Administration of the BSSR effectively ceased its activities from the first days of the war. Those employees who managed to evacuate either joined the ranks of the Red Army or continued to work in the hydrometeorological service administrations of other republics.

During the Great Patriotic War
Observers at individual stations and posts bravely continued to conduct observations during the occupation in Gorki, Vasilevichi, Maryina Gorka, Borisov, Gantsevichi and other cities and localities. However, the results of meteorological observations from that time have not been fully preserved.

Meteorological observation tables. Minsk, may 1943

In occupied Minsk, the Germans resumed the work of the Minsk Moor Institute (Minsk Moor), which operated on the basis of the Minsk Bog Station. Observation records were made on Soviet forms, and from 1943 onward – into weather service tables in German. Meteorological observations were also conducted in Loshitsa.
The first written records of the Belarusian Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service as an operating institution during the Great Patriotic War date back to 1943. The Belarusian Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service resumed its activities in June 1943 in Moscow under the name "Western Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service of the Moscow Military District" (Western UGMS MMD). The head of the Administration was A.A.Glomozda, who until the 1980s served as the permanent leader of the hydrometeorological service of the BSSR.

Glomozda Andrey Anisimovich (1909–1987)

From October 1943, the Administration was relocated to Smolensk. According to an order of the Main Directorate of the Hydrometeorological Service of the Red Army (GUGMS KA) dated June 12, 1943, the Western Administration received from the UGMS MMD, effective July 10, 1943, 18 operational hydrometeorological stations and 18 posts in the Smolensk region, along with their existing staff.
Note: Information on meteorological observations conducted in the partisan regions of the Byelorussian SSR during the Great Patriotic War.
1. To ensure the normal operation of aviation engaged in transporting military supplies, personnel, and evacuating the severely wounded, the Belarusian Headquarters of the Partisan Movement (BHPM) during 1942–1943 organized a network of meteorological observation points near the main landing sites and drop zones equipped by partisan units. These meteorological points transmitted weather data by radio three times a day from the Vitebsk, Vileyka, Minsk, Mogilev, Gomel, Pinsk, Baranovichi, and Brest regions.
At each of the largest partisan airfields – Begoml, Selyavshchina, "Zyslov Island", Pechishche, Porechye, Svarin – the BHPM stationed a weather forecaster who also served as the airfield commandant and a representative of the long-range aviation headquarters. Immediately before takeoff, aircraft crews received the actual weather conditions in the target area and a weather forecast for the route prepared by the corps's meteorological service. Two routes were most commonly used:
– northern route: Moscow–Rzhev–target,
– southern route: Moscow–Kaluga–Gomel–target.
The weather data received at the meteorological posts was used not only by the partisan movement system but also by the State Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service (GUGMS) to support military aviation. (Based on materials from the Party Archive of the Institute of Party History of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus.)
2. In the summer of 1943, a prototype of an automatic meteorological station (ATMS) was tested in one of the partisan regions of the Mogilev region. The station operated successfully for one month, transmitting air pressure and temperature by radio every four hours. (Based on materials from the book "ATMS Transmits Weather" by A.V.Goreleychenko.)
During the Great Patriotic War, the hydrometeorological service of Belarus suffered heavy losses. Approximately 300 qualified personnel were lost; over 85% of stations and 90% of posts were completely destroyed; valuable equipment and the majority of scientific and technical materials were either destroyed or taken to Germany.
In Smolensk, in December 1943, an order was issued approving a plan for the restoration of hydrometeorological stations and posts of the Western Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service of the Belarusian Military District. A period of rebuilding the observation network began. According to the plan, 52 stations and 189 posts needed to be restored in the Byelorussian Republic (as per the approved list of stations and posts as of August 1, 1943). In January 1944, the Western Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service of the Moscow Military District (UGMS MMD) was transformed into the Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service of the Belarusian Military District (UGMS BMD).
The restoration of the destroyed network (opening stations and posts) was carried out by special restoration teams immediately as the territory of Belarus was liberated. After the liberation of the capital of the Byelorussian SSR, the Administration relocated from Smolensk to Minsk in July 1944. In a short time, thanks to the work carried out, the hydrometeorological service of Belarus was largely restored by the end of 1944. By early 1945, 46 stations and 185 posts were already operating on the territory of Belarus, along with a forecasting service, the Belarusian Geophysical Observatory, and management bodies.
In 1945, the Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service of the Belarusian Military District (UGMS BMD) was renamed the Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service of the Belarusian-Lithuanian Military District (UGMS BLMD), and later the Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service of the Minsk Military District (UGMS MMD).
In August 1945, the first post-war meeting of station heads was held, with the participation of representatives of the organizations served.

First Post-War Meeting of Hydrometeorological Service Personnel of Belarus, August 1945

In 1946, the Hydrometeorological Service of the country was transferred to a civilian footing, and the Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service of the Minsk Military District was reorganized into the Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Meteorological observation site at the observatory, June 24, 1947

Since 1948, the hydrometeorological service of Belarus has been a member of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), with its representatives regularly participating in the work of WMO Congresses as well as in sessions of Regional Associations.
The hydrometeorological service of Belarus was repeatedly recognized as advanced in the All-Union Socialist Competition. The first commemorative Red Banner of the Main Directorate of the Hydrometeorological Service and the Central Committee of the Aviation Workers' Trade Union was awarded to the staff for achieving production successes in 1951.
The period of the 1960s is characterized by the introduction of instrumental observations of visibility (M-53, M-71, M-37, RDV-1), wind parameters, and recording of the lower cloud boundary. The automation of the processes of production, collection, processing, and dissemination of hydrometeorological information on the territory of the Republic of Belarus was initiated.
During the Soviet era, the Hydrometeorological Service of the Republic of Belarus served as a kind of testing ground for the development of new technical means – meteorological instruments and equipment (including automatic meteorological stations).
The first automatic meteorological stations were M-106 stations with a set of sensors. From March 1971 to December 1973, 25 meteorological stations were converted to operate as automatic stations, i.e., only instrumental observations were conducted for air temperature and humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind characteristics, soil temperature at various depths, sunshine duration, precipitation amounts, visibility range, and the height of the lower cloud boundary.
Comprehensive automation affected not only meteorology and surface observations. During this period, automatic hydrological posts were tested, machine processing of agrometeorological information was introduced, an automated aerological data processing system was created, equipment for automatic data processing from meteorological radar was tested, and an automated system for processing actinometric observations was implemented.
In 1974, the hydrometeorological service of Belarus included: the Belarusian Territorial Hydrometeorological Center, three Observatories, 34 meteorological stations, 6 specialized stations (bog, lake, forest, and 3 agrometeorological stations), 7 hydrological stations, 16 aviation meteorological stations, 191 hydrological posts, and approximately 700 collective farm and state farm agrometeorological posts.
1979. The Administration of the Hydrometeorological Service of the BSSR was transformed into the Belarusian Republican Administration for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring.
1988. The Belarusian Republican Administration for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring was renamed the Belarusian Republican Administration for Hydrometeorology.
1991. Transformed into the Main Directorate for Hydrometeorology under the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus.
After the proclamation of Belarus's sovereignty in 1991, the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On Hydrometeorological Activity" was developed and came into force on May 10, 1999, establishing the legal framework for the implementation of hydrometeorological activities by the national hydrometeorological service. Currently, the organizations and subdivisions of the national hydrometeorological service are guided in their activities by the Law of the Republic of Belarus No. 93-Z of January 9, 2006, "On Hydrometeorological Activity."
1995. Reorganized into the Committee for Hydrometeorology of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and Population Protection from the Consequences of the Chernobyl Disaster of the Republic of Belarus.
1997. Transformed into the State Committee for Hydrometeorology of the Republic of Belarus.
21st Century. In 2001, by Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus, the State Committee for Hydrometeorology of the Republic of Belarus was abolished. State regulation in the field of hydrometeorology was entrusted to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, within whose structure the Department of Hydrometeorology was established. Its composition included: the Republican Hydrometeorological Center, the Republican Aviation Meteorological Center, the Republican Center for Radiation Control and Environmental Monitoring, 6 regional hydrometeorological centers, 54 meteorological stations, 86 meteorological posts, 3 hydrological stations, 136 hydrological posts, 6 agrometeorological stations, a background monitoring station, a lake station, a bog station, 2 inter-district centers for hydrometeorology and environmental monitoring, and 8 civil aviation meteorological stations.
2015. The State Institution "Republican Hydrometeorological Center" and the State Institution "Republican Center for Radiation Control and Environmental Monitoring" were reorganized through a merger into the State Institution "Republican Center for Hydrometeorology, Radioactive Contamination Control and Environmental Monitoring" (Hydromet).

The activities of Hydromet are aimed at ensuring:
hydrometeorological safety of the country;
the needs of state bodies, economic sectors, and the population for hydrometeorological information and information on the state of the environment;
participation in international cooperation in the field of hydrometeorological activity.

Since 2016, the hydrometeorological service has been participating in the Comprehensive Environmental Monitoring Program in the area where the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant is located.
2017. The State Institution "Republican Center for Hydrometeorology, Radioactive Contamination Control and Environmental Monitoring" (Belhydromet).
The State Institution "Republican Center for Hydrometeorology, Radioactive Contamination Control and Environmental Monitoring" was reorganized by merging regional centers for hydrometeorology and environmental monitoring into it.

Currently, the foundation of the hydrometeorological service of Belarus is the state network of hydrometeorological observations, which includes 191 hydrometeorological facilities:
• 6 regional centers for hydrometeorology and environmental monitoring (branches of Belhydromet);
• 3 inter-district centers for hydrometeorology and environmental monitoring;
• 67 meteorological stations;
• 7 civil aviation meteorological stations;
• 5 agrometeorological stations;
• 3 hydrological stations;
• 1 bog station;
• 1 background monitoring station;
• 114 hydrological posts.

Atmospheric radiosonde observations are conducted by aerological stations in Minsk, Brest, and Gomel.
The main objectives of the hydrometeorological service of Belarus have been and remain:
- conducting regular observations of the state of the environment, collecting information, analyzing and summarizing it;
- preparing hydrometeorological forecasts, providing information on actual and expected weather conditions, and warnings of hazardous - hydrometeorological phenomena;
ensuring prompt response in the event of emergencies or incidents related to environmental pollution;
- maintaining the climate cadastre and water cadastre;
- studying the characteristics of climatic, agrometeorological, and hydrological conditions on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, analyzing regional climate changes;
- providing, in accordance with established procedures, state bodies, other organizations, economic sectors, and the population with all types of hydrometeorological and radiation-environmental information;
- participating in interstate exchange of information on the state of the environment in accordance with the recommendations of the WMO and UNESCO.
Within the framework of international cooperation, specialists from the hydrometeorological service of Belarus participate in various international projects (e.g., Baltic Earth, BALTRAD).

Materials used by G.I.Pavlotsky, R.I.Ovchinnikova.