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Federation and MeteorologyBureau of Meteorology
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Table of Contents

Memories of the Bureau, 1946 to 1962

Foreword

Terminology

Prologue

Preface

Chapter 1: The Warren Years, 1946 to 1950

Chapter 2: International Meteorology

Chapter 3: The Timcke Years, 1950 to 1955

Chapter 4: A Year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Chapter 5: The Dwyer Years, 1955 to 1962
Leonard Joseph Dwyer—A Complex Character
Reorganising the Bureau
Public Weather Services
Forecasts for the General Public
Importance of Radio Stations
The Advent of Television
Automatic Telephone Forecast Service
Beacons
Wording and Verification of Forecasts
Warnings
Services for Aviation
Atomic Weapons Tests
Atomic Weapons Tests—Mosaic G1 and G2
Atomic Weapons Tests—Buffalo 1, 2, 3 and 4
Atomic Weapons Tests—Operations Antler, 2 and 3
Atomic Weapons Tests—Minor Trials
Instruments and Observations
Radiosondes
Radar/Radio Winds and Radar Weather Watch
Automatic Weather Stations
Sferics
Meteorological Satellites
Telecommunications
Tropical Cyclones
Bureau Conference on Tropical Cyclones
International Symposium on Tropical Cyclones, Brisbane
Hydrometeorology
Design of Water Storages, Etc
Flood Forecasting
Cloud Seeding
Reduction of Evaporation
Rain Seminar
Cloud Physics
Fire Weather
Research and Special Investigations
International Activities
The International Geophysical Year
The Antarctic and Southern Ocean
International Symposium on Antarctic Meteorology
International Antarctic Analysis Centre
ADP, EDP and Computers
Training
Publications
Management Conference
Services Conference
CSIRO and the Universities
Achievements of the Dwyer Years

Chapter 6: A Springboard for the Future

Appendix 1: References

Appendix 2: Reports, Papers, Manuscripts

Appendix 3: Milestones

Appendix 4: Acknowledgements

Appendix 5: Summary by H. N. Warren of the Operation of the Meteorological Section of Allied Air Headquarters, Brisbane, 1942–45

Endnotes

Index
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Forecasts for the General Public

The Dwyer years saw a significant increase in public awareness of the usefulness of the Bureau's forecasts for their everyday activities such as the choice of clothing for themselves and their children before leaving home, and the planning of leisure activities such as sport, picnics and outings.

The growth in the number of radio stations and the availability of personal radios was an important factor in this increasing awareness. For the general public, and particularly the younger generation, the use of radio as a medium for entertainment and information became very popular and the earlier view of the older generation that forecast mistakes were objects of ridicule became replaced by a realisation that forecasts could be used to make life more comfortable.

Forecast quality and accuracy were largely determined by the quality of the staff in the Divisional Offices and the timeliness and range of observational material. The preparation of forecasts involved three stages, specifically, plotting and analysis of surface (mean sea level) and upper air charts, consideration of possible changes in those charts and determination of likely temperatures, winds, rain and other weather elements during the forecast period.

Divisional Office forecasters had the advantage of advice of CAO surface and upper air analyses and prognoses, the number, variety, comprehensiveness and accuracy of which gradually improved. However these CAO advices were advisory in nature and Divisional Office forecasters used their discretion in deciding whether the advice they provided should be accepted or rejected.


Organisations in Australian Science at Work - Central Analysis Office (CAO)

People in Bright Sparcs - Dwyer, Leonard Joseph

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Gibbs, W. J. 1999 'A Very Special Family: Memories of the Bureau of Meteorology 1946 to 1962', Metarch Papers, No. 13 May 1999, Bureau of Meteorology

© Online Edition Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre and Bureau of Meteorology 2001
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