88 AGRICULTURAL, APPROPRIATION BILL, 1924. 



WEEKLY WEATHEK^KOKECASTS. 



Mr. BucHAXAN. You are never able to make advance forecasts of 

 lonfrer than 36 hours, are you ? 



]Mr. Mauvin. We are makinjj weekly forecasts for a<rricultural 

 interests couched in wneral terms. They are <renerallv satisfactory. 



Mr. Buchanan. How often do you make them ( 



Mr. Marvin. Once a week — every Saturday — and they come out 

 in the papers all over the country Saturihiy and Sunday. We are 

 hopeful with continued studies to be al)le to extend the forecasts 

 more than a week in advance. But that is an aml)ition of the 

 meteorolojrist. Here is an aerolo<rical survey of the United States. 

 frivin<r a summary of what we have done within the i)ast few years. 

 W^hen you think of the immense territory of the Ignited States and ■ 

 that we have only six of these upper-air stations you can realize 

 what it means. 



Mr. Anderson. You have only six of these upper-air stations, 

 have you ? 



Mr. Marvin. We have six primary stations makinjr observations 

 with kites and balloons, etc. In addition to that we have nine bal- 

 loon stations, sending up little pilot balloons into the upper winds. 



Mr. Anderson. What do you propose to add to this $25,000 ( 



Mr. Marvin. We are going: to put in some additional stations. I 

 have Mr. Gvegg here, who is in charge of aerological work, and I 

 think, perhaps, he can answer your questions best. 



ADDITIONAL STATIONS URGENTLY NEEDED. 



Mr. Gregg. We propose to put in about six stations. The actual 

 number will depend upon where they are located and, of course, that 

 will depend upon the needs of the Army. Xavy. and mail air serv- 

 ices. If the stations can be established at regular Weather Bureau 

 stations now in operation, the cost will be about $4,000 each: but if 

 the stations are to be established at other places than where we have 

 regular Weather Bureau stations, we shall liave to put in fully 

 equipped new stations costing about $(),()00 each. The probability is, 

 however, that most of them can be placed at Weather Bureau 

 stations. 



Mr. Anderson. Where they are. do you have to emidoy men to do 

 this particular work as distinguished from the ground obscrx :ition ( 



Mr. Gregg. At the Weathei- Bureau stations? 



Mr. Anderson. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Gre<;(;. AVe would have to assign one extrn uiau with ex- 

 jx'rience in upper-air work; in addition one (d' the jvgulur men 

 already employed at a station would be re(juired to learn the work 

 and assist in the observation. Kach obsci'vation recpiires two men. 



Mr. Anderson. How long aiv they in taking it ^ 



Mr. (lUEGG. On the average an observation takes from an luuir (o 

 an hour and a half. 



Ml". Anderson. Wluit do (hey do the i-j>st of the time? 



Mr. (ii{E(;<!. At tlie reguhir \\'eather Hureau stations they do other oljs 



work, such as is done at all AVealiiei- liureau stations. \t the |)ri- tlie 



mary stations where we do notlnng but acrological work we make 



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