WEATHER FORECASTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26750, 20 April 1948, Page 4

WEATHER FORECASTS

EARLIER SERVICE POSSIBLE P.A. WELLINGTON, Apl. 19. New Zealand, with other South Pacific area countries, may soon have weather forecasts 72 hours ahead, instead of the 24 to 26 hours normally possible with the present equipment, said Mr H. N. Warren, director of the Austraian Meteorological Service, and president of the South Pacific Regional Commission of the International Meteorological Organisation, which has just concluded its conference in Wellington. Plans for such a service were made at the conference, and the service would soon be possible when the necessary equipment was obtained and installed. An improvement in the forecasting service depended, said Mr Warren, on improvements in the instrumental equipment in the marine and aviation reporting organisation, which should lead to the provision of information more rapidly and more adequately, and consequently improve the regular forecasting services in respect of timing. Mr Warren emphasised the assistance which would be given in the planning of transport and other public facilities, as well as in the domestic activities of primary producers, when such forecasts became possible.