REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE WEATHER BUREAU. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Weather Bureau, 



Washington, D. C, October 15, 1902. 



Sir: I have the honor to submit a report of the operations of the 

 Weather Bureau during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 1902. 

 Respectfully, 



AViLLis L. Moore, 

 Chief of Weather Bureau. 

 Hon. James Wilson, Secretary. 



work of the year, with recommendations, 

 forecasts and warnings. ■ 



The most important tropical storm of the year appeared first as a 

 feeble disturbance in the subtropical region north of Cuba August 9, 

 1901. It advanced thence over the southern part of the Florida penin- 

 sula during the 10th and 11th, and recurved westward over the Gulf 

 of Mexico by the morning of the 12th. Moving westward the storm 

 increased greatly in intensity during the 13tli and 14th, and daring 

 the 14th and 15th it recurved northward over the Louisiana coast, 

 attended by gales of hurricane force. Warnings in connection with 

 this storm were begun on the 10th. The estimated damage to prop- 

 erty along the Louisiana coast amounted to over 11,000,000, and 

 according to the estimate of the secretary of the Mobile Chamber of 

 Commerce the value of property saved by the warnings of the Weather 

 Bureau aggregated several millions of dollars. 



The North Atlantic and West Indian forecast and storm-warning 

 service was continued in successful operation during the year. Fore- 

 casts for the first three days out of steamers bound for European ports 

 were issued daily at 8 a. m. and 8 p. m., and American and European 

 shipping interests were notified of the character and probable course 

 of the more severe storms that passed eastward from the American 

 coast. 



The following letter, dated November 15, 1901, addressed by the sec- 

 retary of Lloyd's, London, to the Chief of the United States Weather 

 Bureau, at Washington, indicates the degree of interest that is being 

 taken in the Weather Bureau warnings by representatives of the com- 

 mercial and shipping interests of the North Atlantic: 



I am instructed to express to you the best thanks of the committee of Lloyd's 

 for the forecasts of bad weather in the Atlantic with which you have been so 

 good as to allow them to be favored, and I am desired to convey to you the con- 

 gratulations of my committee on the infallibility of the predictions that have been . 

 supplied by these forecasts. 



