José Carlos Millás
Encyclopedia
José Carlos Millás was a Cuba
n meteorologist. He is known for his research on past Atlantic hurricane season
s, and has been called one of the "fathers of tropical meteorology".
Born in Havana
, Cuba
, Millás graduated as a civil engineer
from the University of Havana
. He then took post-graduate courses at the University of Chicago
. In 1913 he was appointed Assistant Director of the National Observatory of Cuba, becoming the institute's director in 1921. In the 1930s, before radar and refined hurricane-tracking equipment was available
, Millás collaborated with R. W. Gray and Grady Norton
of the Weather Bureau
to plot the course of tropical cyclones.
Millás remained in that position at the National Observatory until 1961, when the Cuban Revolution
forced him to emigrate to the United States
. He became an assistant professor at the University of Miami
and conducted research for the Weather Bureau until his death in 1965.
Millás was decorated with the National Order of Merit of Cuba and the Order of Merit of the Aguila Azteca of Mexico.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n meteorologist. He is known for his research on past Atlantic hurricane season
Atlantic hurricane season
The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year when hurricanes usually form in the Atlantic Ocean. Tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic are called hurricanes, tropical storms, or tropical depressions. In addition, there have been several storms over the years that have not been fully...
s, and has been called one of the "fathers of tropical meteorology".
Born in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Millás graduated as a civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
from the University of Havana
University of Havana
The University of Havana or UH is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is the oldest university in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas...
. He then took post-graduate courses at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. In 1913 he was appointed Assistant Director of the National Observatory of Cuba, becoming the institute's director in 1921. In the 1930s, before radar and refined hurricane-tracking equipment was available
Tropical cyclone observation
Tropical cyclone observation has been carried out over the past couple of centuries in various ways. The passage of typhoons, hurricanes, as well as other tropical cyclones have been detected by word of mouth from sailors recently coming to port or by radio transmissions from ships at sea, from...
, Millás collaborated with R. W. Gray and Grady Norton
Grady Norton
Grady Norton was an American meteorologist. He is widely recognized as the original director of the National Hurricane Center even though that position would not be created during his lifetime....
of the Weather Bureau
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
to plot the course of tropical cyclones.
Millás remained in that position at the National Observatory until 1961, when the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
forced him to emigrate to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He became an assistant professor at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
and conducted research for the Weather Bureau until his death in 1965.
Millás was decorated with the National Order of Merit of Cuba and the Order of Merit of the Aguila Azteca of Mexico.