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Our National Weather Service has its roots in Nineteenth Century science weather service logoand policy. The Army Surgeon General began a coordinated attempt to obtain weather observations from Army posts as early as 1814, followed by a national network of observers reporting telegraphically to the Smithsonian in the late 1840's and 1850's, and then the establishment of a true National weather observation network under the Army Signal Corps in 1870. Since that time there has been a tradition of accuracy, devotion to duty, and innovation in the methods and technologies of weather observation. Below is some of the history of the development of that tradition....
cleveland abbe

A Short Account of the Circumstances Attending the Inception of Weather Forecast Work by the United States
Professor Cleveland Abbe's account of the beginnings of the U.S Weather Bureau.

instrument room washington dc signal service


Signal Service Years (1870 - 1891)
Personal views of early meteorologists.


group of early weather forecasters
National Weather Service Celebrates 125th Anniversary
Press release announcing the NWS Anniversary - February, 1995.
picture of boy standing next to coop station
Cooperative Weather Observers
History of the Weather Service's network of volunteer weather observers.



Publication of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NOAA Central Library.

Last Updated: June 8, 2006 9:24 AM

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