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Content with Time Periods Signal Service Years (1870-1891) .

  • A sepia-toned historical photograph showing a scene of complete fire destruction. The foreground and midground are covered in charred debris and rubble, leading to a body of water (the Peshtigo River). On the right stands a tall, intact brick or metal factory smokestack that survived the blaze. To the left, a small group of around half a dozen people, dressed in 19th-century clothing, are visible among the wreckage. The sky is overcast and bright.
    Signal Service Years (1870-1891)

    The Great Midwest Wildfires of 1871

    From Sunday, October 8 through Tuesday, October 10, 1871 wildfires claimed thousands of lives and destroyed millions of acres across the Upper Midwest. Read MoreAboutThe Great Midwest Wildfires of 1871 »

    View Count: 5223
    Publish Date: October 6, 2020

  • A portrait photograph of Dr. Edward Rappaport in front of a framed picture of waves crashing near a lighthouse. Dr. Rappaport was the Deputy Director of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) from 2000 until his retirement in 2021, and also served two stints as acting director. He is shown from the chest up, wearing a light-colored button-down shirt and a patterned tie, smiling for the camera in an office setting.
    Signal Service Years (1870-1891)

    Oral History: A Look Back with Hurricane Forecaster Ed Rappaport

    Hear from Ed Rappaport, legendary hurricane forecaster, as he reflects on his time at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Read MoreAboutOral History: A Look Back with Hurricane Forecaster Ed Rappaport »

    View Count: 4459
    Publish Date: August 31, 2020

  • Birthday Cake - Celebrating the National Weather Service's 150th Birthday on Feb. 9, 2020
    Becoming a Weather-Ready Nation (Today and Beyond), Revolutionizing Observations, Forecasts & Dissemination (1990-Today), Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990), ESSA to NOAA and Environmental Focus (1965-1980), The Satellite Age Begins (1960-1965), Post-War Expansion (1945-1960), Weather and the War (1942-1945), Early Growth (1912-1941), The Weather Bureau Rises (1891-1912), Signal Service Years (1870-1891)

    The National Weather Service at 150: A Brief History

    The National Weather Service celebrated its 150th Birthday on February 9, 2020. Read MoreAboutThe National Weather Service at 150: A Brief History »

    View Count: 270913
    Publish Date: February 6, 2020

    satellite, tiros, idss, aviation weather, forecasting, signal service, weather bureau, radiosonde, nws, noaa, upper-air observations, weather-ready nation, science, resilience, readiness, response, partners, history

    Tags: satellite tiros idss aviation weather forecasting signal service weather bureau radiosonde nws noaa upper-air observations weather-ready nation science resilience readiness response partners history
  • Becoming a Weather-Ready Nation (Today and Beyond), Weather and the War (1942-1945), Signal Service Years (1870-1891), The Pioneers (pre-1870)

    Out of Thin Air: The History and Evolution of Upper-Air Observations

    A practice that can be dated as far back as the 18th century, when Benjamin Franklin flew a kite in a thunderstorm to prove the electrical nature of lightning, upper-air observations have been indispensable to meteorologists for hundreds of years. Read MoreAboutOut of Thin Air: The History and Evolution of Upper-Air Observations »

    View Count: 12147
    Publish Date: January 13, 2020

    aviation, wind, kites, upper-air observations, balloons, instrumentation

    Tags: aviation wind kites upper-air observations balloons instrumentation
  • Daily Weather Map for September 1, 1872. A hand-colored, antique U.S. weather map dated September 1, 1872. Blue isobars indicate areas of low pressure off the East Coast and a high-pressure system is noted in the Appalachians. Blue lines on the ocean indicate wind patterns, and brown shading highlights mountainous regions in the West.
    Signal Service Years (1870-1891)

    The Daily Weather Map

    While many changes have occurred over the history of the National Weather Service, one constant has been the Daily Weather Map. Read MoreAboutThe Daily Weather Map »

    View Count: 9323
    Publish Date: December 5, 2019

  • War Department Weather Map dated Sunday, September 1, 1872. These maps were an early form of scientific weather forecasting in the United States, compiled from synchronized meteorological observations at military stations and used for study and analysis.
    Signal Service Years (1870-1891)

    The First Synchronized Weather Observations

    On November 1, 1870, the Signal Service inaugurates its new weather observation network. Read MoreAboutThe First Synchronized Weather Observations »

    View Count: 9165
    Publish Date: October 20, 2019

    signal service, observations

    Tags: signal service observations
  • The U.S. Weather Bureau office in Glasgow, Montana, in 1963, an example of the types of smaller offices that existed before the National Weather Service's modernization efforts in the 1990s.
    Revolutionizing Observations, Forecasts & Dissemination (1990-Today), ESSA to NOAA and Environmental Focus (1965-1980), Early Growth (1912-1941), The Weather Bureau Rises (1891-1912), Signal Service Years (1870-1891)

    The Many Faces of a Weather Bureau Office

    The Weather Bureau sets up shop in whatever facility they can find -- not always a fancy government building, either. Read MoreAboutThe Many Faces of a Weather Bureau Office »

    View Count: 7517
    Publish Date: October 17, 2019

  • Damage to the Eads Bridge in St. Louis after a tornado on May 27, 1896. Image from NOAA Photo Library
    Signal Service Years (1870-1891)

    John P. Finley's Rules for Tornado Forecasting

    Signal Corps Sgt. John P. Finley extensively studies tornadoes in the 1870's and 1880's, coming up with 15 rules for tornado forecasting. Read MoreAboutJohn P. Finley's Rules for Tornado Forecasting »

    View Count: 9139
    Publish Date: September 11, 2019

    tornado

    Tags: tornado
  • The Weather Bureau office in Peoria, Illinois, in the early 1900's displays its signal flags on the roof.
    The Weather Bureau Rises (1891-1912), Signal Service Years (1870-1891)

    A Brief History of Signal Flags

    In 1881, the Signal Service expands its forecast relay methods to include visual displays. Read MoreAboutA Brief History of Signal Flags »

    View Count: 11374
    Publish Date: August 31, 2019

  • A scene from the Dakotas, from the January 28, 1888 edition of Frank Leslie's Weekly. The Illustration depicts a rescue party searching for victims during the devastating
    Signal Service Years (1870-1891)

    The Blizzards of 1888

    Two blizzards, one in January 1888 that struck the northern Plains and a second in March, would forever change the face of weather forecasting. Read MoreAboutThe Blizzards of 1888 »

    View Count: 64217
    Publish Date: August 30, 2019

  • Signal Service
    Signal Service Years (1870-1891)

    Signal Service Reflections

    In 1922, Weather Bureau employee Henry E. Williams asks Signal Service veterans to share their stories on their impressions of the Signal Service years. Read MoreAboutSignal Service Reflections »

    View Count: 5226
    Publish Date: August 26, 2019

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