In 1849 the Smithsonian Institution established an extensive observation network of observations that were made
and sent by telegraph...which included some stations in Mississippi.
During 1860 500 stations were making regular observations until the Civil War interrupted the flow of information.
In 1870 President Ulysses S. Grant signed a joint resolution of Congress authorizing the Secretary of War to establish a Weather Service within the army.
The observations were established at 22 locations by the Army Signal Corps and the word "forecast" became
established.
In 1890 at the request of President Benjamin Harrison, Congress creates the Weather Bureau in the
Department of Agriculture.
During 1891 the Secretary of Agriculture directs the Weather Bureau to carry out rain experiments by setting off explosions from balloons in the air.
In 1894 Kite weather observations are started with self-recording thermometer to make observations of temperatures aloft.
In 1898 President William McKinley orders the Weather Bureau to establish a hurricane warning network.
In 1903 Orville Wright makes first powered flight after a weather briefing.
In 1909 the Weather Bureau begins experiments with balloon observations.
In 1926 the Air Commerce Act directs the Weather Bureau to provide for weather service to civilian aviation.
In 1928 the Teletype replaces the telegraph for weather communications.
In 1931 Regular aircraft observations begin at Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas and Omaha reaching 16,000 feet are met and the kite service ends.
In 1937 the First Official Weather Bureau radio meteorograph or "radiosonde" soundings are made at East Boston, MA.
This program draws aircraft soundings to an end because balloons can reach heights of 50,000 feet.
In 1940 the Weather Bureau was transferred to the Department of Commerce.
In 1942 the US Navy gives the Weather Bureau 25 surplus aircraft radars to be modified for ground meteorological use.
In 1948 the USAF Air Weather Service Meteorologists issue the first Tornado Warnings.
In 1951 the Service Weather Warning Center begins operations at Tinker Air Force Base, which is a forerunner of the National Severe Storms Center (NSSC).
In 1952 Weather Bureau organizes the Severe Local Storm Forecasting Unit in Washington and begins issuing tornado forecasts.
In 1959 the first WSR-57 weather surveillance radar is commissioned at the Miami International Airport...to be followed by the WSR-74C
radars 14 years later.
In 1960 TIROS 1, the world's first weather satellite was launched.
In 1967 the Weather Bureau was renamed the National Weather Service.
In 1975 the first geostationary weather satellite GOES 1 was launched.
In 1989 the NWS embarks on a plan for the modernization and restructuring of the entire organization.
In 1990 the contract for the WSR-88D was awarded.
In 1991 the contract for the ASOS systems was awarded.
In 1993 the contract for the AWIPS computer system is awarded.
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