Skopje planning region on the day / June 20, 2013 / at 11:00, put into operation the first automatic weather station in the Skopje valley, which is the beginning of the construction of the mesometeorological measurement network of the City of Skopje. The station will measure the air temperature, relative humidity, direction and wind speed and precipitation levels, and will enable continuous monitoring of the weather in Skopje during the year, and with a multiannual measurement, indicators of climate change in the Skopje valley will be obtained.

The station is located in the yard of the elementary school “Petar Pop Arsov” in the municipality of Karposh.

The data from the measuring station will be collected by experts from the Hydro-meteorological Administration (HMS), and will be available on the websites of the Center for Development of the Skopje Planning Region, the City of Skopje and other city municipalities.

European regulation imposes monitoring of microclimate conditions in cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, and the ultimate goal is to obtain data and inform the public about the change of meteorological elements and phenomena influenced by the urban environment. The need to establish an mesometeorological observation system in urban areas is also significant due to the negative impact of climate change on all segments of urban living. Particular attention is paid to the health of people, in the event of extreme temperatures, that is, heat waves and long periods with the appearance of “cold air lakes”.

The project for realization of the mesometeorological measurements was realized by the Center for development of the Skopje planning region with financial support from the Government of the Republic of Macedonia – Ministry of Local Self-Government / Bureau for Regional Development and the City of Skopje.

In the total project value of 372,880 denars, the Ministry of Local Self-Government participates with 252,960 denars, while the City of Skopje participates with 119,920 denars. The City of Skopje, the Center for Development of the Skopje Planning Region and the HMS will continue their cooperation for the construction of the city network for mesotheological monitoring by placing new measuring points at several locations in the city and the surroundings.