History of the National Weather Service in Key West
Oct. 1832
Rainfall measurements begin at the Sand Key Lighthouse, 9 miles
south of Key West. The observations are not consistent though,
as several of the following months are missing data. No weather
agency has been organized by the U. S. Government yet.
Feb. 9, 1870
The U.S. National Weather Service begins in the Department of the
Army. President Ulysses Grant signs a joint resolution of Congress
authorizing the Secretary of War to establish a weather service
within the Army. Weather observations are made at 24 locations by
the Army signal corps and the word “forecast” becomes
established. 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. Within the Department of War,
it was assigned to the Signal Service Corps under Brigadier General
Albert J. Meyer. General Meyer gave the National Weather Service
its first name: The Division of Telegrams and Reports for the Benefit of Commerce.
Nov. 1, 1870
At 7:35a.m. the first systematized and synchronous meteorological
reports were taken by observer-sergeants at 24 stations in the new
agency. These observations, which were transmitted by telegraph
to the central office in Washington, D.C., commenced the beginning
of the new division of the Signal Service. A Weather Observing Station
in Key West was among the original stations. Observations were taken
at the Russell House on the west side of Duval Street, between Front
and Green Streets.
Jan. 1871
Consistent rainfall records (no missing data) began at the Key West
observation station. Consistent temperature records began in August
1872.
Oct 1, 1890
Due to allegations of fraud and embezzlement, President Benjamin
Harrison recommended transfer of the national weather service to
the Department of Agriculture. Congress agreed, and an act transferring
the weather service to the Department of Agriculture was signed
into law by President Benjamin Harrison. The new agency was named:
The Weather Bureau.
May 23, 1903
The observing station in Key West moved 7 times between its inception
in 1870. One location was the Jefferson Hotel from 1876-1886 in
the Old Town area of modern day Key West. Next, the observations
were taken at the Waite Building from 1887-1903. On this date, the
station moved to the Weather Bureau building at Front and Eaton
Streets.
Oct. 1910
Sand Key Llighthouse and its weather station were destroyed for
the second year in a row by a hurricane. It was never rebuilt. The
station in the Weather Bureau building in downtown Key West was
also damaged as it reported a 7 foot storm surge.
Oct. 1, 1911
The Key West Weather station was moved to the Island City Bank Building
at 205 Duval Street while new observatory was being built.
Jan 23, 1913
A new Weather Bureau building completed and the observations were
moved back to its previous location at Front and Eaton Street. The
station remained here until 1957. The first rawinsonde, now called
radiosonde, is sent aloft by balloon to radio back weather information
from different levels of the atmosphere. Today, the NWS in Key West
releases radiosondes twice per day, gathers and formats the information
for inclusion into various computer forecast models.
Jun 30, 1940
The Weather Bureau was transferred to the Department of Commerce.
Sep. 1, 1942
Upper air observations begin at Naval Air Station Key West on Boca
Chica. The Weather Bureau office begins upper air observations in
the late 1950s.
Jul 1, 1957
The Weather Bureau in Key West moves to the Key West International
Airport.. The office has since changed buildings but is still located
at the Airport. Duties and responsibilities included upper air and
surface observations and public service. Forecasts for the entire
state of Florida are issued at the state forecast office in Miami.
This was true for all states as one state office issued forecasts
for the entire state.
1959
The first weather surveillance radar, WSR-57 (non-doppler) is installed
at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Also, in 1959, the U.S.
launches its first satellite to send weather information back to
Earth.
Early 1960
WSR-57 radar was installed at the Weather Bureau in Key West.
1967
The Weather Bureau is renamed the National Weather Service.
Jan 1, 1972
Key West becomes Weather Service Office (from WFO).
1973
A new radar system was developed by the NWS, the WSR-74.
Late 1970s
300 NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) stations were installed across the
country, including 1 used by the NWS in Key West. NWR is used by
the NWS to effectively disseminate critical weather information
The NWR station in the Keys covered the lower and Middle Keys. The
upper Keys were covered by a station in southern Dade county.
1980
A WSR-74 radar was installed at the NWS office Key West.
Mar 1, 1996
The Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) at the Key West airport
was commissioned ASOS automatically records surface weather data
and measures cloud bases up to 12,000 feet.
Dec. 11, 1996
The WSR-88D (weather surveillance radar) in Key West is commissioned.
Key West is one of the last NWS offices to get the WSR-88D and by
the end of the year, nationwide installation was complete This radar
provided much improvement over existing radars The radar tower is
located on the north side of Boca Chica Key.
1997
Many non forecast NWS offices are beginning to close and are consolidated
into nearby offices under National Weather Service Modernization,
an effort to make the NWS more efficient and save money. NWS Key
West is on the list to be closed by the end of the year. Weather
services will be provided by the NWS in Miami.
March 1998
After further consideration by Congress and NWSHeadquarters, it
is decided to keep the NWS office in Key West open and spin it up
to Weather Forecast Office (WFO). The WFO concept allows one office
to provide full weather services for an entire assigned area based
on geography. Before, weather services for an area were split among
neighboring offices. The NWS in Key West will serve the Florida
Keys and a marine area covering almost 15,000 square miles across
the southeast Gulf Of Mexico, the Florida Bay and the Florida Straits.
May 1, 1999
The WSO Key West moves from its building which it had occupied since
1957 into a section of the Adam Arnold Annex at the Key West Airport.
May 15, 1999
WSO Key West assumes most weather services for the Florida Keys
and adjacent marine areas. Forecasting is still done by the WFO
Miami.
July 1999
WSO Key West begins operating a second NOAA Weather radio station.
The tower is located on Tea Table Key (MM 80) and covers the Upper
Keys.
Nov. 15, 1999
The WSO Key West becomes WFO (Weather Forecast Office) Key West
and assumes responsibility for weather services in the Florida Keys
and adjacent marine areas, including forecasts. This is the first
time the office in Key West has issued forecasts on a routine basis.
Jan 2002
After several months of review, architectural plans are approved
for the new Key West Weather Forecast Office to be built on White
Street in Key West.
June 1, 2004
NWS breaks ground for a new, hurricane-resistant Weather Forecast
Office in Key West. The new office will be designed to withstand
wind speeds and storm surge levels associated with Category 5 hurricanes.
To be constructed with a combination of concrete, reinforcing steel,
and hurricane-impact-resistant glass, the new building will be designed
to withstand sustained winds of 165 mph. The interior will also
contain an additional concrete box designed to serve as a Severe
Weather Occupancy Shelter to protect employees against winds up
to 250 mph.
September 29, 2005
The National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office moved into
its new building at 1315 White Street.
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