WEATHER FORECASTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20702, 27 April 1929, Page 4

WEATHER FORECASTS.

THREE WEEKS AHEAD. A FUTURE POSSIBILITY. (From Otjr Own Correspondent.) _ SYDNEY, April 18. Farmers, graziers, airmen, motorists—all classes and conditions ’of men—suffer alike because our meteorologists, through no fault of their own, are unable to forecast the weather with anything like accuracy more than a day ahead. They are hampered in making forecasts by the almost infinite number of combinations possible in the condition of the atmosphere. And the vagaries of the atmosphere are caused by the moods, so to speak, of the sun. The outward expression of these moods' is seen in the “ spots ” —just as spots on human beings may serve to doctors as exact indications of why this man is depressed, that man is feverish, or the other man is neaunto death. The pressing problem of the meteorologists the world ever is the discovery of some formula which will enable them to. state exactly what- will happen on any : given area of the earth’s surface after there has been a disturbance on the sun's surface; or, in other words, when sun spots have appeared. Yet this problem of first Importance to the meteorologists cannot be solved by them.. * They are dependent upon the coo-peration of the astronomers, who are generally numbered among the world’s dreamers. The other day Father Pigot, of Riverview College, Sydney, demonstrated just what a gift from Germany) brought from that country by Mr Ernest Wunderlich, may ultimately mean to; the science of meteorology in Australia, and, it may safely be added, New Zealand. Father Pigot disclaims auy, pretence to be a meteorologist. . His chief speciality is the study of solar phenomena; and he will be helped considerably in that study by. the generous gift from the great German firm of Ziess, The observations, which will help meteorologists to foretell the weather accurately,. will be merely a byproduct, of the astronomer’s work. Father Pigot will not have it; thought that this instrument he has received will alone win from the sun the evidence that will make it possible to say with certainty that rain will fall in this, that, or the other district, on a certain date. Father Pigot explains that, by collating facts secured in many countries, facts concerning solar radiation, sun spots, facnlco, and preturberances, and : by a system of world-wide collaboration between astronomers and meteorologists, the forecasting of weather up to three weeks ahead, might become an exact science. Cautious scientist that he is, Father Pigot gently pooh-poohs the hopes of optimists who have already rushed into print with statements to the effect {hat by means of such instruments as the spectre scope the weather will be foretold even a year or two years ahead. “ It’s going to take another ten to fifteen years to collect the evidence that will make possible the forecasting accurately of the weather three weeks ahead. ’ he said. “ But so much is certain—it is no dream. Think what it will mean to any country, and particularly to Australia. When the time arrives, and millions of pounds - are saved automatically, I suppose the people will have forgotten that it made possible by the co-operation of men of science all over the world,”