Antarctic Studies Will Aid N.Z. Meteorologists

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28099, 15 October 1956, Page 12

Antarctic Studies Will Aid N.Z. Meteorologists

New Zealand meteorologists should i be able, to forecast weather conditions ’ more accurately as a result of informa-' tion they will receive from the United : States International Geophysical Year • station at Little America, in the Antarctic. Mr John Hanessian, executive officer of the regional programmes office for the United States International Geophysical Year, said in Christchurch during the week-end that the United States national committee for the Year had been given the responsibility of establishing a “weather ’central” at Little America by the international co-ordinating body for the Year. The “central,” which is expected to begin operating about the beginning of next year, will receive weather information from about 40 stations of all countries in the Antarctic, whaling ships on the southern seas, aircraft flying over the Antarctic, and field parties, including probably the British Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic expedition. A team of forecasters at the “central” will analyse the information and transmit it to a series of countries including New Zealand.

Among the forecasters will be a New Zealander whose selection by the New Zealand Meteorological Service was now being completed, said Mr Hanessian. The New Zealand meteorologist will probably be a member of the summer party of eight at the station. This party will also include a Soviet and an Argentinian meteorologist. There was no doubt that the “central” would be able to help New Zealand meteorologists in forecasting New Zealand w’eather. said Mr Hanessian. “When I was in the meteorological office in Wellington the other day I was looking over the shoulders of the men who were doing the forecasting.” he said. “The Antarctic includes a large part of the world but the meteorologists have little information about it. The lines for this part of the world on their weather maps are not definite.” The “weather central*’ is but one of a series of projects which will be undertaken in the Antarctic by the United States during the International Geophysical Year.