The National Weather Service was founded on February 9, 1870. The ability to observe and forecast the weather is an important practice in order to make the lives of citizens better. It helps plan your every day. It helps to warn against upcoming severe storms. Learn about the early history of the National Weather Service below.
Historical Timeline:
- 1849, interest in tracking the weather began in earnest when the Smithsonian Institution supplied weather instruments to telegraph companies. These companies then shared their weather observations to the Smithsonian, who created weather maps.
- 1860, 500 stations around the United States are making and sharing their weather observations. However, this work is interrupted by the Civil War.
- 1869, the Telegraph service began collecting their own data to produce weather charts. This quickly led to weather forecasting.
- 1870, Congress passes a resolution that requires the Secretary of War to start taking meteorological observations at military stations around the United States. On February 9, President Ulysses S. Grant signed this resolution into law, leading to the birth of the national weather service.
Learn more about the history of the National Weather Service from its inception to present day here. Conduct the following weather-related science experiments.
Cloud in a Jar
1. For this activity you will need a glass jar, a balloon, an elastic band and some chalk dust.
2. Put 1 cm of warm water in the jar to cover up the bottom.
3. Put chalk dust in the jar.
4. Stretch the balloon over the mouth of the jar so that it will not come off. Secure with an elastic.
5. Gently punch the balloon and watch clouds appear when you take your hand away.
This hands-on experiment teaches students all about how clouds are formed. Download this worksheet here.
Seasons Tracker
Think back over the last year. What was the weather like where you live? How did the weather change with the seasons? When was it hot? When was it rainy? When was it windy? Write down everything you can remember about each of the four seasons. Use this graphic organizer to write your answers. Draw a picture of each season as it looks to you where you live. Do you know what type of climate you live in? Are you in the North or South part of the Earth? Do you see all 4 seasons or just a few?
This Graphic Organizer allows students to track the seasons they experience in their climate. Download this worksheet here.
Wind Direction
A weather vane tells which way the wind is blowing. Some are very fancy. You can make a simple one.
You will need: a straw, a sheet of thick paper, a pin, a pencil, some clay.
1. Cut a slit in each end of the straw.
2. Cut shapes out of the paper that look like the ends of an arrow. The tail end should be bigger than the pointy end.
3. Put the pieces of paper in the slits in the straw.
4. Make a ball of clay and stick the pointy end of the pencil in it. You could also stick the pencil in the ground or in the dirt of a flower pot.
5. Push the pin half way through the middle of the straw.
6. Push the pin into the eraser on the end of the pencil.
This hands-on activity teaches students all about wind direction. Download this worksheet here.
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