Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why was the first national weather forecasting service in the United States established in 1870?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Weather forecasting Doppler radars, such as this one operated by the U.S. National Weather Service at New Underwood, South Dakota, extract the Doppler frequency shift of the echo produced by a moving target by noting how much the frequency of the received signal differs from the frequency of the signal that was transmitted.

The first national weather forecasting service in the United States was established in 1870 to facilitate the collection of weather data from military installations across the country and to provide warnings regarding the approach of storms to locations along the Great Lakes and marine coasts.1

Following a resolution signed by President Ulysses S. Grant, the service was placed under the U.S. Army Signal Service Corps. This development was driven by the growing capability of the telegraph to transmit meteorological data rapidly, allowing for the creation of synoptic weather maps that could track storm systems over wide areas. By establishing this service, the government aimed to safeguard the lives and property of citizens from severe weather and protect the national economy from weather-related disruptions.123