WEATHER BUEEAU. 65 



headquarters are now located at Washington, Chicago, New Orleans, 

 Denver, Portland, and San Francisco. The Washington office until 

 recently made all the forecasts on the evening observations, except 

 for the Pacific coast districts. Provision, however, was made near 

 the close of the year so that the night as well as the morning forecasts 

 should be issued from Chicago and Denver for their respective dis- 

 tricts. Two advantages result from these changes. The Wash- 

 ington forecaster has a smaller territory at nighttime for which pre- 

 dictions are required, and more time and study can therefore be 

 given to the region covered, while, on the other hand, the preparation 

 of two daily forecasts keeps the district forecaster in closer touch 

 with the current changes in weather conditions than is likely to be 

 the case when he is responsible for only one forecast. Advantages 

 in local distribution are also realized. The Washington forecasters 

 prepare all storm warnings for the Great Lakes and the Atlantic and 

 Gulf coasts, and exercise a general supervision over all the forecasting 

 activities of the Bureau. 



Periodical inspections of the principal stations of the service are 

 made by the Washington and other district forecasters. 



During the year the Weather Bureau issued daily its usual 36 and 

 48 hour forecasts of weather, temperature, and winds, and prepared 

 and issued special warnings of frosts, cold waves, storms, and heavy 

 snows. 



Weekly Weather Forecasts. — The weekly forecast issued prior 

 to August, 1914, was then suspended because of the interruption of 

 reports from foreign meteorological services brought about by the 

 European war. The issue of a weekly forecast was resumed, how- 

 ever, in a modified form in April, 1915. This forecast is prepared 

 and issued Tuesday forenoon for the week beginning on Wednesdays 

 and is immediately sent to the press associations, and selected por- 

 tions are telegraphed to certain distributing centers, where they are 

 printed on cards and distributed by mail to such rural newspapers 

 and individuals as can utilize the information or aid in its dissemina- 

 tion. 



The most severe and disastrous storm of the year was that of 

 December 7-9, 1914. This disturbance passed up the Atlantic coast, 

 causing high winds and tides along the Atlantic seaboard and con- 

 siderable property damage along the Delaware and New Jersey 

 coasts. Warnings were issued well in advance. 



The Atlantic coast storm of April 2-5, 1915, including Easter 

 Sunday, was quite a severe one m many respects. From a pomt off 

 the southwest Florida coast on the mornmg of the 2d it passed 

 northward up the Atlantic coast with increased intensity to a posi- 

 tion over the Grand Banks by the morning of the 5th. Storm 

 warnings were ordered for the entire Atlantic coast, and gales oc- 

 curred, with some damage to shipping. Heavy falls of snow occurred 

 over portions of eastern Pennsylvania, southern New York, New 

 Jersey, Delaware, and New England. A fall of 19 inches was re- 

 ported from Philadelphia, Pa. 



One of the most pronounced cold waves of the winter occurred 

 during the latter part of January, 1915. On the evening of the 26th 

 a very cold high-pressure area was central over the Canadian North- 

 west. Low temperatures had prevailed for several days over the 



22814°— AGE 1915 5 



