The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-05-26
Todays Science
BY DAVID DIETZ

A IRPLANE observations of weather conditions at
IA nigh attitudes will be made more frequently
and from a larger number of stations, starting July
l. according to an announcement by w. R. Gregg,
chief of the United States weather bureau.
This move represents the first of ~ number to
increase the accuracy Of weather reports and is in
harmony with the recommendations recently made
by President RooSevelts science advisory board which
undertook a study of the weather bureau.
The increased airplane observations are made pos
sible by the cooperation of the war, navy and COM
MERGE departments, Mr.. Gregg states. With these
additional observations. the bureau will be able to
make use of the so-called air mass method of fore
casting.
This has long been recognized as a means of max
ing forecasts more accurate and also as a means of
making longer forecasts. The bureau, however, has
never found it practicable because it d / not have
enough ~airplanes to make the necessary observations.
Meteorologists now believe that larges air masses,
which constantly move across the country, govern
the weather to a marked degree.
n n
THE meteorograph makes a continuous record
L during the flight of the plane. thus enabling
the forecaster to get a record of temperature, pres
sure and moisture at various levels in the atmosphere.
From this movement of the air masses can be cal
culated.
Under the new plan the weather bureau will have
the cooperation of army and navy pilots at more
than a dozen selected stations. There will also be
flights at six specially equipped weather bureau air.
way stations and at one cooperative station at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The depart
ment of commerce will provide for the transmission
of the observations from the points where they are
made to the forecaSting stations.
Mr.. Gregg says that it is planned to have one
observation fight each day at the various stations.
This flight will begin at about $50 a. m. eastern
standard time. The pilot will fly to an altitude of
about 1000 feet above sea level. Meteorologists as
signed to the air observation stations will compute,
code and transmit to forecast stations the information
which the meteorographs bring down.
The weather bureau plans to maintain special air.
plane observation stations at Nashville, Tenn, with
La Crosse, Wis, as an alternate; Omaha, Neb.;
Cheyenne, Wyo.; Billings, Mont; Fargo, N. D, and
Oklahoma City, Okla.
The war department will assign planes to gather
ing weather data at Mitchell Field, Long Island. N Y:
Selfridge Field. Detroit. Mich; Wright Field, Dayton,
o.: Scott Field, East st. Louis. H.; Kelly Field, San
Antonio. Tex; Maxwell Field, Montgomery. Ala, and
during the hurricane season at TT. Crockett, Calves
ton, Tex.
THE national guard unit at Spokane, Wash. will
Il take care of the daily fight there. The navy
department. has agreed to make observations at
Anacastia, D. c.; Norfolk, Va; Pensacola, Fla; San
Diego. CAL; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and, on alternate
days, at Philadelphia, Pa and Lakehurst, N. j.
Flights will also be made at Sunnyvale, Cal, and
Seattle, Wash, but at other times than those set for
the other flights. Occasional flights will also be made
from Quantico. Va; Dahlgren, Va, and Coco Solo.
Canal zene.