Public Weather Services (continued)

The lifting of the ban on public forecasts and warnings with the return of peace meant that Divisional Offices became important sources of information for the general public and for others with special requirements although, as will be described later, the provision of meteorological services for aviation was supervised by the Central Office in Melbourne.

There was special interest in the issue of warnings of tropical cyclones, floods, fire weather and other weather conditions likely to threaten life and property.

For the first time in Australia weather forecasts and warnings for the general public were produced by professionals with academic qualifications and specialised meteorological training, most of whom had been engaged in preparation of forecasts for the RAAF over a period of five years or more.

It should not be assumed that these forecasts were markedly better than those produced by largely self-educated staff without the same level of academic qualifications. Even the more highly qualified forecasters were hampered by the lack of upper air observations although they were aware of the usefulness of the limited amount of upper air data available. The Warren years were to see the beginning of remarkable growth in observations in the upper air and over the Southern Ocean. More information on this expansion appears later.

Another advantage which forecasters enjoyed was the remarkable growth in the knowledge of the atmospheric processes which determine air temperature, wind, rain, frost, fog, cloud and other meteorological elements likely to affect the general public. This is discussed later.

Bureau of Meteorology