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Dorothy Taylor
Mon Nov 15, 2004
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Prior to World War II, only two women were listed among the U.S. Weather Bureau
ranks as observers and forecasters. By 1945, over 900 women worked as observers
and forecasters. In fact, some weather offices were comprised almost entirely of
women. Hi, I'm Bryan Yeaton and this is The Weather Notebook.
Today we hardly remember these women. But one stands out, Dorothy L. Taylor. Her
actions in the spring of 1945 illustrate the dedication of many of her female colleagues
now long forgotten.
During the War Years, most women entered the Weather Bureau as Junior Observers,
and Miss Taylor was no exception. Appointed on April 1, 1944, she received promotion
to SP-5 rank on April 1, 1945.
Twelve days later, this young woman -- she would not turn 20 until April 23rd -- reported
for her routine evening shift in Casper, Wyoming. That shift would be anything but
routine.
While on duty, a heavy snowstorm isolated the Casper weather station. The intense
storm prevented Taylor's relief person from showing up, and for 28 hours, she
single-handedly ran the office operations.
During her extended shift, she continued taking hourly observations and 6-hourly
synoptic readings. She also managed to launch and observe regular weather balloon
soundings under extremely adverse conditions where temperatures ranged from 22 to
29 degrees Fahrenheit, and winds raged from 25 to 50 miles per hour during the
heaviest snowfall.
Not only did Taylor keep up with the regular observation and data transmission
schedule, she also prepared three consecutive weather maps while contending with
unusually heavy telephone traffic. All the while, Taylor sustained herself with only
perseverance and the meager contents of her lunch pail.
Thanks today to contributing writer Keith Heidorn of Victoria, British Columbia. The
Weather Notebook is a production of the Mount Washington Observatory and
supported in part by the Subaru of America.
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