WEATHER BUREAU. 109 



from the United States. The forecast service is designed to be of 

 benefit to these visitors. 



RADIO DISTRIBUTION OF WEATHER FORECASTS AND INFORMATION. 



The distribution of forecasts, warnings, and weather information 

 by radio was covered in some detail in the previous annual report. 

 This work continued during the past year along the same lines, but 

 more effective and widespread distribution was accomplished. Be- 

 ginning September 1, 1922, arrangements were made with the United 

 Fruit Co. for broadcasting and disseminating twice daily special 

 weather bulletins from its radio station on Swan Island for the 

 benefit of shipping in the Caribbean Sea. These bulletins consist of 

 wind and weather forecasts for western Gulf of Mexico (west of lon- 

 gitude 90°), eastern Gulf of Mexico (east of longitude 90°), and for 

 the Windward Passage. Whenever conditions warrant, the forecasts 

 are preceded by advices and warnings regarding any storm or hurri- 

 cane that may be in progress and of " northers " during the winter 

 months. During the hurricane seasons these are added to the morn- 

 ing bulletins of weather observations taken at 8 a. m., seventy-fifth 

 meridian time, at 10 stations located in Cuba, the West Indies, and 

 on the eastern coast of Central America. 



An added feature of the service from Swan Island is that signals 

 consisting of a red pennant by day and a red light by night are dis- 

 played from the radio tower to indicate that information concerning 

 a hurricane, a storm, or a " norther " is in possession of the radio 

 operator, which can be obtained by boat call ashore. This service is 

 for the special benefit of ships not equipped with wireless, although 

 any ship so equipped may obtain the information by radio call. 



Although the number of commercial and private broadcasting sta- 

 tions that cooperate with the Weather Bureau in disseminating 

 forecasts, warnings, weather and crop information, etc., remains 

 about the same, there has been a material increase in the effectiveness 

 of the service. Cooperation with a number of small stations with 

 limited range was discontinued and several large and more powerful 

 stations added. To meet popular demands the information sent out 

 by radiophone from several stations has been amplified, and now 

 includes river forecasts and stages, conditions of highways as affected 

 by the weather, effect of weather on crops, weather reports from the 

 principal crop areas, special forecasts for the guidance of farmers in 

 harvesting, etc. In many cases forecasts for several States are now 

 broadcast from a single station. The gradual discontinuance of the 

 smaller and less powerful stations has left the bureau with a chain 

 of well-distributed and reliable stations, from which hearty and con- 

 tinued cooperation may be expected. They are so located that 

 practically all sections of the country are assured of opportunity to 

 obtain the forecasts satisfactorily and directly. It is impossible to 

 approximately estimate the number of people being served in this 

 way. In addition to the hundreds of thousands of receiving-set 

 owners who receive the forecasts by radiophone, large numbers of 

 whom can obtain them in no other way, many repeat them to their 

 neighbors bv telephone. This latter form of service has become so 

 potential that arrangements are in hand for a definite form of organi- 

 zation which will replace the telegraphing of forecast messages now 



