WEATHER BUREAU. 71 



IJwricane service. — Some additional funds were provided for 

 this work for the fiscal year beginning with July 1, 1922, and plans 

 were developed for tlieir utilization. Stations of the first order 

 will be established at Brownsville, Tex., and Apalachicola. Fla., and 

 a trained observer will be located at Burrwood, La., during the 

 current hurricane season. It is intended to secure more observations 

 from ships and additional tide reports from points along the Gulf. 

 HoAveyer, there is great need for more observations from the areas 

 in which these disturbances occur, and especially for more reports 

 from ships. 



Prior to the opening of the hurricane season two officials connected 

 with the forecast service made a tour of inspection of all the sta- 

 tions on the south Atlantic and Gulf coasts. • As a result of this 

 inspection a number of changes providing for greater efficiency in 

 the distribution of the hurricane warnings were put into effect, 

 especially in the western Gulf coast section. Prompt distribution of 

 all warnings and advices concerning hurricanes to all places within 

 130 miles of the coast having post office, telegraph office, or telephone 

 communication were arranged. Much of this was made possible by 

 the cordial cooperation of the railroad companies and other local 

 agencies. 



Vessel weather reports. — There is much need for more ship reports, 

 especially from the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Pa- 

 cific Ocean. Ship observations have become an indispensable factor 

 in forecast work and decidedly so in connection with the issuance of 

 hurricane warnings. This is emphasized by the fact that nine- 

 tenths of the area in which hurricanes occur is water; that the 

 diameter of a hurricane is frequently less than 200 miles, and that 

 many of these storms do not come near land. The Weather Bureau 

 has profited very much by the cordial cooperation of the Shipping 

 Board and several of the large oil companies that operate fleets, from 

 whom, in the aggregate, more weather observations were received 

 from ships at sea than during any previous year. 



A portion of the ship reports is furnished by cooperating com- 

 panies without cost for the observation work, but for the greater 

 part 50 cents an observation is paid. This is insufficient compensa- 

 tion for the time and experience involved in the work, and as a 

 result it has been impossible to interest many ships from which valu- 

 able information might be obtained. It is hoped that funds may be 

 provided whereby more adequate payment ma^ be made for ship 

 observations which will go far toward" placing this important project 

 on a more efficient and satisfactory basis. 



Forecasts hi aid of aviation. — The activities in the aid of avia- 

 tion materially increased during the year. Daily forecasts cover- 

 ing 11 zones into which the country is divided were issued regularly 

 and furnished to Army, Xavy. and Post Office officials and to the fly- 

 ing fields. In addition, arrangements were made during the year 

 for broadcasting upper-air forecasts for all the zones, except two, 

 from naval radio stations. 



Separate and more detailed forecasts were begun in January, 

 1922, at the request of the Air Service of the Army for the three 

 air routes from Washington to Norfolk, Va., to Long Island, N. Y., 

 and to- Dayton, Ohio. They are issued twice daily and contain 



25684— AGR 1923 6 



