68 ANNUAL HKPOIITS OF DEPAKTMKNT OF AORIUULTURE. 



OfKX-AIK KNTKKTATXMKNTS AND AVEATIIER IXSUKANCE. Foi' injUiy 



yt'iii-s t\\v Biiioini lias Ix'cn cnllod on to furnish special forecasts cov- 

 ci'iii^^ periods of State and count} fail's, round-ups, picnics, and other 

 lar<re assenil)hi<;es in the open air. This year more applications of 

 this kind were received than ever before. However, a new and im- 

 portant feature has heen invohed in such service, due to the rapid in- 

 crease of weather insurance ^v^itten by companies to cover owners and 

 directors of such enterprises a<rainst losses due to bad weather. Ex- 

 tensive and exi)ensive ]jreparations have to be made in advance for 

 such enterprises. The entertainments are extensively ad\ertised to 

 occur at stated times, and lar^e losses are sure to occur if weather of 

 a character to prevent attendance prevails. Insurance companies 

 now underwrite such risks, and settlements are made on stipulated 

 weather occuri-ences. The insuivr and the insured are vitally con- 

 cerned, esi)ecial]y the latter, in the forecasts that are made for them 

 a day or two in adva"nce of the openin«>-, and daily tliereafter if the 

 ];erformances contimie for several days. These special forecasts are 

 made available to the public also and are appreciated 1)}" those who 

 expect to attend. Moreover, an im[)urtant and diihcult ]n"oblem has 

 been injected because of questions of settlement based on records of 

 actual weather occurrences that naturally arise. The Bureau has been 

 oblioed to decline to install apparatus and make observations on the 

 l)remises; but it has freely suhised as to the kind of apj^aratus to be 

 used, how the observations should be made, etc. Service to the people 

 is incumbent on the Bureau, but it often becomes a question as to dif- 

 ferentiation between public service and individual service. However 

 strict an interpretation nv.\j be placed thereupon, it is patent that the 

 rapid increase in weather insurance is bound to place large additional 

 duties upon the Bureau in making weather observations, compiling 

 data, and furnishing special information, all of which Avill severely 

 tax the Bureau with its present limited appropriations. 



FLYING-WEATHER FORECASTS. 



A new form of forecasts, knoAvn as " Flying Weather," w^as begun 

 in July, 1919, at the request of the War Department, for the especial 

 benefit of the Air Service of the Army. The country was divided 

 into 7 zones, and a separate forecast made for each of them in the 

 a. m., and certain of the eastern zones in the p. m. Later the number 

 of zones Avas increased to 13. These forecasts are telegrai)hed directly 

 to the Air Service, Avhicli distributes them to the air fields. A typi- 

 cal forecast, which wall explain their character, is as follows: 



Ymiwh Nos. 1 :iii(i 2: I'doi- llyiii;; wcatlicr lo-day ; local lliundershowers prob- 

 able; niodci'ale to frcsli south and soiitliwcsi surface winds, liccouiin.ir west and 

 modei-atcly strong above 3,0(K) feet. 



Similar service has been furnished the Post Office Department as 

 an aid to mail-rcnite aviators ever since the aerial-mail system was 

 inaugurated. It is likely that ariangements will be made for -sup- 

 plying similar information for the coastal zones of the Navy. In- 

 creased demands for aerial observations and forecasts are inevitable 

 in other directions as aerial navigation develops and as an essential 

 factor of success. Meteorological information and forecasts are 

 destined to become of as much importance to navigators of the 

 air as to navigators of the seas. 



