The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-31
WOMAN AIDS
US. WEATHER
BROADCASTING
From Her Alaskan Home
She Signals Bureau
of Cold Waves.

BIZ Science SerUice
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.-Weath-
er reports of observations taken by
young woman at the coolest and
most inaccessible weather station in
United States territory, Point Bar
Il row, Alaska, will enable warnings
of cold waves affecting the north
central states to be sent out this
winter by radio, several days earlier
than has previously been possible.
Mrs. Beverly A. Morgan, wife of
the army signal corps radio opera
tor at the trading post, has recently
been appointed observer at Point
{. Barrow. She is one of the six
white inhabitants of the town. Ar
rangements have been made for the
first time to radio observations from
this station twice daily to weather
bureau headquarters in the United
States.
The recent opening of daily COM
munication with this station makes
forecaSting data on weather condi-
ton on the Arctic ocean available
for the first time.
Most of the cold wave and other
atmospheric disturbances affecting
3he northwestern states originate in
that region of the arctic
Formerly Sent by Mail
Observations previously taken at
this station were sent by mail to the
United States reaching the fore
casters of1ce months after they
were made. They were, of course,
useless in making the weekly and
daily weather forecasts and valu-
able only as matter of record.
= Point Barrow is over $50 miles
north of the other weather outpoStS
sending in wire or radio reports.
, Charles L. Mitchell, chief fore
caster of the weather bureau, places
great stress on the value Of this
new data.
This daily contact with the most
northern settlement on United
States territory will give us data,
which will enable us to trace the
origin, force, extent, probable dura-
ton and intensity of each disturb
ance near the point of its origin, so
, that we will be able to predict its
probable effect on crops, shipping
and household arrangements many
days before it will arrive" Mr..
Mitchell said.
Reaches IS Below There
It is thought that the observa-
lions from Point Barrow will have
a vital effect on making the weekly
weather forecast for the various Sec
tons of the United States more
: complete, and allow the predictions
on cold waves to be felt six or
seven days after the report is is
sued. This is not always possible
now.
Mrs. Morgan and her husband will
live in the most primitive surround
ings with only a few score people
within hundreds of miles. Their
only communication with the out
side world, with the exception OF
their radio, will be q steamer once
and sometimes twice year. Some
. times even this powerful icebreaker
is unable to penetrate to the post
for months after her scheduled
arrival
Shortage of food and other sup
plies has often caused serious hard
ship at the station, necessitating
rationing of food.
The temperature averages 10 de-
grees below zero during the coolest
winter months and has been known
to reach SIS degrees below zero.
Despite these hardships Mrs.
Morgan has pledged herself to make
the routine observations twice day
regardless of weather, storms, sick
ness or other conditions.