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The National Weather Service has its beginnings in the early history
of the United States. Weather has always been important to the citizenry
of this country, and this was especially true during the 17th and 18th
centuries. The beginning of the National Weather Service we know today
started on February 9th, 1870, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed
a joint resolution of Congress authorizing the Secretary of War to establish
a national weather service. This resolution required the Secretary of
War "to provide for taking meteorological observations at the military
stations in the interior of the continent and at other points in the
States and Territories...and for giving notice on the northern (Great)
Lakes and on the seacoast by magnetic telegraph and marine signals,
of the approach and force of storms"
After much thought and consideration, it was decided that this agency
would be placed under the Secretary of War because military discipline
would probably secure the greatest promptness, regularity, and accuracy
in the required observations. Within the Department of War, it was assigned
to the Signal Service Corps under Brigadier General Albert J. Myer.
General Meyer gave the National Weather Service its first name: The
Division of Telegrams and Reports for the Benefit of Commerce. Later
that year, the first systematized, synchronous weather observations
ever taken in the U.S. were made by "observing-sergeants" of the Army
Signal Service at 22 stations and telegraphed to Washington. Mobile,
Alabama was one of these original 22 offices. An agency was born which
would affect the daily lives of most of the citizens of the United States
through its forecasts and warnings.
The new agency operated under the Army's Signal Service from 1870 to
1891. In 1890, Congress voted to transfer the agency to the Department
of Agriculture and renamed it the Weather Bureau. Although the parent
agency was changed to the Department of Commerce in 1940 the Weather
Bureau name remained unchanged. In 1970, the Weather Bureau name was
changed to the National Weather Service, although it's primary function
of public service remained the same. The National Weather Service is
one of the main components of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA).
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Battle
House
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The weather station was established in
Mobile on November 6, 1870 by the Signal Service of the War
Department. It was located at 48 St Michel Street and was
equipped with standard set of instruments consisting of a
barometer, thermometer, hyrometer, wind vane, rain gage, and
Robinson anemometer. Reports were commenced on November 7,
1870. The station remained at this location until May 1, 1872
when it was moved to the third story of the Manser Building,
located on the southeast corner of Government and Royal Street.
On the night of November 16-17, 1880, the Manser Building
was completely destroyed by fire of undetermined origin. The
office together with instruments, records, etc. were lost.
The
station was re-established at the Battle House, on the corner
of Royal Street and St Francis Street. Observations resumed
on November 18.
(picture courtesy University of South Alabama
Archives)
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| The weather station was re-established
in the New Manser House, on the corner of Royal Street and
Government Street. This was the same sight of the old Manser
Building that burned down the previous year. The
wind vane and anemometer were located on top of the roof.
Note the pennant flag in the picture. Flags were a primary
means of warning the public of hazardous weather.
(picture courtesy University of South
Alabama Archives) |
New Manser Building |
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US Customs House |
On July 1, 1884, the weather station
was relocated to the United States Customs House, at the
southwest corner of Royal Street and St Francis Street.
The main instrument shelter was on the
center of the roof.
(picture
courtesy University of South Alabama Archives)
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| On
September 1, 1905, the weather office was moved to the sixth
floor of the City Bank Building on 17 North Royal Street.
On November 1, 1913 the office moved
to the top floor of an eight story addition to the building
(known as the First National Bank Building by then).
(picture
courtesy University of South Alabama Archives) |
City Bank Building |
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Us customs and
court house |
The office again located to the US Court
House and Customs House on in 1936.
(picture
courtesy University of South Alabama Archives) |
| With the advent of commercial aviation, it became
necessary to establish weather observations at the airport.
The Civil Aeronautics Administration, the forerunner of the
FAA, started taking observations at the old Bates Field (now
Brookley Field) several miles south of downtown Mobile in
1934.
Weather Bureau personnel assumed this responsibility in
1939, working in the Guard and Fire Building by 1940.
(picture
courtesy University of South Alabama Archives)
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Brookley Field |
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Mobile Regional
Airport |
In December 1941, the weather office at Brookley
Field was relocated to the current location at the Mobile Regional
Airport (Bates Field), eventually occupying a portion of the
terminal building.
The downtown office closed on May 1, 1953 when all remaining
weather operations shifted to the airport.
(picture
courtesy University of South Alabama Archives) |
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In 1994, the new weather office at the Mobile Regional Airport was opened.
The modern National Weather Service office operates powerful
WSR-88D Doppler radar, sophisticated computers and a wide
array of automated observing systems. |
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www.srh.weather.gov 
