WEATHER BY WIRELESS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 7565, 8 May 1919, Page 5

WEATHER BY WIRELESS.

HOW FORECASTS ARE MADE

Safety and success in the develop* went of the commercial air services of the world which are now being organized will depend, to a very large extent on thorough and complete weather forec:.sts and reports, which will be available at any hour. "#his can only be accomplished," Mr. F, Handley-Page, the inventer of the, famous machines •vluch will carry up to sixty passengers, informed the writer recently, " with the aid of wireless. "The air route chosen by a pilot will depend on the wind and weather report he gets before starting. For instance, the air mail from London to Italy might go one night via Paris and Lyons, while on the next trip ; acting on meteorological advice, and m order to profit by some .favourable wind, the pilot might * sweep out in the direction 'if the Bay of Biscay. IN CONSTANT TOUGH. "Each machine will be fitted with wireless, which will enable.him on long- j distance flights to picJt up, if necessary, further weather information from the wireless stations en route. The Meteorological Department will send out charts of the air, while the stations m oil parts of the world will provide constant wind and weather reports and IV recasts for the guidance of pilots generally." We have gone a long way since Admiral Fitzroy, \who had charge of the British Weather Office over half a century ago, began weather forecasting on a, scientific basis. But the principles he evolved are still the same. The habits of animals, birds, and insects provide information for local forecasts. Storm warnings were dispatched by ships and ultimately sent each day by radio-telegraphy to the Meteorological Office, and of late years by wireless. OUR GREATEST EXPERT. The system on which forecasts are made is thus summed up by Dr. W. N. Shaw, who has been Director of the Meteorological Office for the last fifteen ■ " Weather travels, and if we can find years:— cut what weather there is within range and in what direction it is travelling, wo can warn one part of our area of changes that have already shown signs Oi their appearance in some other part.' j It is still the fashion with some would-be humourists to regard the ''Clerk of the Weather" as. a funny man, who makes wild nncl weird guesses, i As a matter of fact, his forecasts are, four times out of five, uncannily correct. He has a modest office in South Kensington, and a staff whose services , are valued by the country at £22,500 d year. SCATTERED ASSISTANTS. fle has assistants in all parts of the world recording the weather of the moment, messages being received from most of them three time a day. These messages are recordei on a chart and from these the " Clerk of the Weather" draws his conclusions and issues his forecasts. Three forecasts a day are made—at V. a.m., 3.30 p.m., and 8.30 p.m.—the test being for the morning newspapers. For a pound a year a daily weather report is sent out to subscribers, while anyone who wishes to know the latest information as to weather conditions in any part of the United Kingdom can obtain it by the simple process of wiring ' Weather, London," paying a shilling fee and the cost of the telegraphic reply. FISHERMAN'S FRIEND. On receiving notice of atmospheric disturbance near the British coasts, the Clerk of the Weather telegraphs to all j the chief ports and fishing stations. ! Storm-warning telegrams are sent •"*> i over 300 stations in the British Isles, and are naturally of incalculable value tc ship captains and fishermen. This, however, is but a small part of ' the work done at the Meteorological Office. Its Marine Branch collects and tabulates observations from all the j v orld's oceans, just in the same way ! that the latest branch will keep a consi ant record of the skyways. I