WEATHER BUREAU. 73 



flying operations are conducted. A representative of that service is 

 given desk space and facilities in the forecast room of the Weather 

 Bureau at Washington, where he prepares each morning a weather 

 map s;^.-nchronously with the charts used for the issuing of the official 

 forecasts of the Weather Bureau. These official forecasts and weather 

 reports are telephoned by him directly from the Weather Bureau 

 office to the naval bases. In this manner the information and ad- 

 vices are transmitted with the last possible delay and with effective 

 results. 



Service was rendered for a number of special airplane flights 

 during the year by furnishing detailed forecasts and extra obser- 

 vations at frequent intervals along the route to be followed. One 

 instance of this kind was the journey of a squadron of 12 seaplanes, 

 much of it over land, from Norfolk, Va., to Pensacola, Fla., by way 

 of the Atlantic coast line to Fernandina, Fla., thence overland across 

 the Florida Peninsula to Cedar Keys and from that point to Pensa- 

 cola. This journey was undertaken in July, and the various steps in 

 the trips were made in accordance with the forecasts and advices 

 furnished by the Weather Bureau. A seaplane can not land with 

 safety on terra firma, and it was of the utmost importance, both to 

 the success of the undertaking and in safeguarding the lives of the 

 aviators, that no unfaA^orable weather conditions be encountered, 

 especially for the long overland jump from Fernandina to Cedar 

 Keys. The trip was accomplished without a senous mishap and the 

 commander of the squadron in acknowledging the assistance ren- 

 dered by the forecaster of the Weather Bureau wrote as follows : 



The commancler of air squadrons desires to express his appreciation of the 

 excellent cooperation of the Weather Burean. both of Washington and Jackson- 

 ville, in furnishing weather reports to the air squadrons for the recent fliglit of 

 12 F-5-L seaplanes across Florida. The safety of the passage undoubtedly 

 was made more certain thereby, as on the receipt of adverse weather reports 

 the passage of 7 planes was delayed two days, during which severe tliunder- 

 storms and rain squalls would have been encountered. 



RADIO DISTRIBUTION OF FORECASTS AND WEATHER INFORMATION. 



In the annual report for last year it was stated that radio teleg- 

 raphy had reached a stage where it must be recognized as a potential 

 medium for the dissemination of weather forecasts, warnings, and 

 information to agricultural interests. It became a realization during 

 the past year. Although wireless telegraph}^ has been an invaluable 

 factor for many years in the collection of observations from ships 

 and in the distribution of storm and hurricane warnings and weather 

 information to vessels at sea, it was used only to a limited extent 

 for interior service because all messages were necessarily trans- 

 mitted in the telegraphic Code of dots and dashes. With the intro- 

 duction of radiotelephony, which makes it possible for anyone to 

 receive messages in spoken words, the broadcasting of information 

 over the interior has increased enormously. A year ago the daily 

 State forecasts were being broadcast form 12 radio stations, rep- 

 resenting only 7 States, and principally by radiotelegraphy. On 

 Jul}' 1, 1922. 98 stations in 35 States were daily broadcasting weather 

 forecasts and warnings. Weekly reports on the effect of weather 

 on crops and highways, and other information issued by the Weather 

 Bureau for the public benefit, also are disseminated by many of 



