OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE XJNITED STATES S 



features of meteorological programs which I believe are of interest to 

 this Special Subcommittee on Oceanography. 



LONG-RANGE PROGRAMS 



For many years, the Weather Bureau has urged further development 

 of ocean weather studies and services, including ocean climatology. 

 Since the oceans cover most of the earth's surface, it is obvious that 

 "by volume" most of the weather of the globe occurs in the vast 

 reaches of the atmosphere overlying the oceans. 



Last year the direci:. interest of meteorology in oceanographic 

 research and the proposals of the Weather Bureau for development 

 of this important field were given emphasis by request through 

 the Federal Council for Science and Technology and subsequently, 

 the Interagency Coordinating C^ommittee on Oceanography that the 

 Bureau summarize its long-range program aimed at — 



(1) Extending and devefoping the weather observations, storm 

 warnings, and other ocean meteorological services vital to safety 

 of life and property, and 



(2) Conducting the necessary research for advancement of 

 knowledge of atmosphcric-oceanographic processes. 



As already implied, worldwide meteorological services required by 

 marine transportation, air commerce, and other national interests 

 are a highly cooperative undertaking. They require weather reports 

 from representative localities all over the globe. It is beyond the 

 scope of any one organization to maintain this worldwide weather 

 observing and reporting network under a single all-embracing juris- 

 diction. The daiH meteorological service depends not only on 

 international cooperation for collection of weather reports from all 

 parts of the globe but also on tlie cooperation of other organizations 

 and individuals within the United States— the Coast Guard with its 

 ocean vessel stations and its lighthouse service, the military services, 

 the airlines, and many others — -all of these cooperate with the Weather 

 Bureau in providing daily and sometimes hourly weather observations 

 and reports in localities where the Bureau cannot economically 

 maintain its own weather stations. 



Similarly, at the other end of the system, it is necessary to rely on 

 the cooperation of many communications channels in order to get 

 weather forecasts and storm warnings broadcast promptly to all of the 

 people and to the man\^ business and transportation activities whose 

 safety depends upon timely warnings of the approach of destructive 

 storms. 



In addition to the daily weather services, there is the branch of 

 general meteorology known as climatology and this subject also 

 comprises a major activity and service in ocean meteorology. 



I shall summarize the principal features very briefly. 



Mr. Chairman, there may be questions and, if it is satisfactory to 

 you, I shall read tho paragraphs dealing with services by title only, 

 if you would permit the full text to go in the record and will go on to 

 the research, which is the thing most directh' of interest to this 

 committee. 



Mr. Miller. Without objection, that is so ordered. 



Mr. Reichelderfer. Thank vou, sir. 



