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Weather Flags
Fri Sep 09, 2005
Listen in RealAudio 
Before the days of Internet, television, or even radio weather reports, the U.S.
government used a system of specialized flags to deliver local weather forecasts to
folks across the country. Hi, I'm Bryan Yeaton, and you're listening to The Weather
Notebook.
The first government weather reports in the date back to 1870, and these were sent by
telegraph from Washington, D.C. to post offices around the country, where they were
posted in the front of the buildings. In 1881, these bulletins were replaced by a system
of signal flags that flew above the post office buildings. A large, square flag that was
solid white in color meant clear or pleasant weather was expected, while a solid blue
flag indicated that rain or snow was in the forecast. A flag that was white on top and
blue on the bottom was used for scattered, localized rain or snow showers.
When a black, triangular pennant flew above any of these flags, it meant that warmer
weather was on the way; if it flew below the flag, it indicated cooler temperatures. When
a sudden drop in temperature was predicted, a special "cold wave" flag was used. It
was a square white flag with a black square in the center.
At the end 1886, this system of flags was used in nearly 300 cities and towns across
the country. By the 1930s, however, the rise of radio as a means of communicating
weather forecasts to the public meant the ultimate end of this system of forecast
flags.
Thanks to meteorologist Sean Potter for his work on today's story. The Weather
Notebook comes to you through grants from The National Science Foundation, and
Subaru Driven by What's Inside. We are a program of The Mount Washington
Observatory, on the web at www.mountwashington.org.
Today's Links
A look back at forecasting and warning
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/cae/comms.htm
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