Our Stories - National Weather Service Heritage
Content with Time Periods Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990) .
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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), Post-War Expansion (1945-1960)Then and Now: The National Hurricane Center
Officially founded in 1955, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has been in existence for almost 70 years. Read its storied history here. Read More »
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Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990)Oral History: A Look Back with Former Hurricane Specialist Dr. Lixion Avila
Hear from Dr. Lixion Avila, longtime hurricane specialist and advisory writer for the NHC, as he reflects on his iconic career with NWS. Read More »
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Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990)Oral History: A Look Back with Former Meteorologist-in-Charge John Ogren
Hear from John Ogren, current director of the NWS Training Center, as he reflects on one of the biggest weather events he experienced in his NWS career. Read More »
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Becoming a Weather-Ready Nation (Today and Beyond), Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990), ESSA to NOAA and Environmental Focus (1965-1980)Lasting Collaboration: The History of the National Ice Center
In working to achieve the mission of the agency, the NWS often collaborates with other organizations and groups to improve accuracy and protect lives. Read More »
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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)Scratching the Surface: A Photo History of Surface Analyses at the Weather Prediction Center
Though it has operated under many different names and used many different technologies to predict weather over the years, the Weather Prediction Center has been producing surface analyses since the very beginning. Read More »
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Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990), ESSA to NOAA and Environmental Focus (1965-1980)Unpredictable: The President’s Day Storm of 1979
Forecasts for a winter storm over President's Day weekend 1979 called for 4-6 inches of snow. That was not to be; the President’s Day Storm paralyzed the Mid-Atlantic for days, leading to major forecast model improvements. Read More »
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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 More »
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Revolutionizing Observations, Forecasts & Dissemination (1990-Today), Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990)The NWS Modernization and Associated Restructuring - A Retrospective (Part 2)
Implementing the NWS's Modernization was a monumental task. Read More »
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Revolutionizing Observations, Forecasts & Dissemination (1990-Today), Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990)Key Advances in Weather History: Dual-Pol Radar
Radar is an essential component of modern meteorology--but how did the latest innovations come about? Read More »
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Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990)The NWS Modernization and Associated Restructuring - A Retrospective (Part 1)
Planned in the 1980s and implemented in the 1990s, the NWS Modernization and Associated Restructuring modernized the agency’s organization and technology to ensure more rapid detection of storms and deliver timely forecasts and warnings to the public. Read More »
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Revolutionizing Observations, Forecasts & Dissemination (1990-Today), Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990)Introducing NEXRAD
Early tests of the Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD) paid dividends on May 11, 1982, when the Oklahoma City NWS office issues a number of Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado Warnings based on the test Doppler radar in Norman. Read More »
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Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990), Post-War Expansion (1945-1960), Weather and the War (1942-1945)The National Weather Service and the Evolution of Meteorological Radar
Radar, a technological concept that was first developed over 100 years ago, is a vital part of modern meteorology. Read More »
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Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990)No Snow in Sight: The NWS and the 1980 Olympic Winter Games
Almost 20 years after their first participation in the Olympics, the National Weather Service got another opportunity in 1980 when the Winter Games returned to the US. However, an atypical lack of snow in the region leading up to the Games presented extreme challenges for meteorologists and athletes alike. Read More »
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Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990)The Sky is Falling: Delta Air Lines Flight 191 Crash
In 1985, Delta Air Lines Flight 191 fell from the sky at the Dallas/Fort Worth International airport as a result of inclement weather. Read More »
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Becoming a Weather-Ready Nation (Today and Beyond), Revolutionizing Observations, Forecasts & Dissemination (1990-Today), Modernization and Restructuring (1980-1990)
Weather Woodles
In order to help young children understand the weather, long-time National Weather Service employee Carolyn Willis created fuzzy, zany cartoon characters to explain complex weather phenomena: the Weather Woodles. Read More »
