Military meteorology
Encyclopedia
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
applied to military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
purposes, by armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
or other agencies. It is one of the most common fields of employment for meteorologists.
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
brought great advances in meteorology as large-scale military land, sea, and air campaigns were highly dependent on weather, particularly forecasts provided by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, Met Office
Met Office
The Met Office , is the United Kingdom's national weather service, and a trading fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
and USAAF for the Normandy landing and strategic bombing
Strategic bombing during World War II
Strategic bombing during World War II is a term which refers to all aerial bombardment of a strategic nature between 1939 and 1945 involving any nations engaged in World War II...
.
University meteorology departments grew rapidly as the military services sent cadets to be trained as weather officers. Wartime technological developments such as radar also proved to be valuable meteorological observing systems. More recently, the use of satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
s in space has contributed extensively to military meteorology.
Military meteorologists currently operate with a wide variety of military units, from aircraft carriers to special forces.
See also
- CAPTCaptain (naval)Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Homer A. McCrereyHomer A. McCrereyHomer Alex McCrerey became U.S. Navy Meteorologist and oceanographer for CINCPACFLT until 1972.He was born in Hiawatha, Kansas. During 1941 he graduated from Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas with a mathematics degree. Homer was commissioned at the US Naval Academy in 1942. He completed...
, USNAUnited States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
Class of 1942 - FleetUnited States Pacific FleetThe United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
Meteorologist and oceanographer (FNMOC) (1967–1972) - Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography CenterFleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography CenterThe Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center , known prior to 1995 as the Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center , is a meteorological and oceanographic center located in Monterey, California...
- Naval Meteorology and Oceanography CommandCommander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography CommandThe Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command serves as the operational arm of the Naval Oceanography Program. Headquartered at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, COMNAVMETOCCOM is a third echelon command reporting to United States Fleet Forces Command...
- Aerographer's MateAerographer's MateAerographer's Mate is a United States Navy occupational rating.-Duties:Aerographer's Mates observe, collect, record and analyze meteorological and oceanographic data; make visual and instrument observations of weather and sea conditions; operate meteorological satellite receivers and interpret...
- Pacific Disaster CenterPacific Disaster CenterPacific Disaster Center is an applied science, information and technology center, working to reduce disaster risks and impacts on life, property, and the economies worldwide. PDC’s ultimate goal is to foster the disaster resilience of communities through evidenced-based and informed decision...
(1992) - East-West CenterEast-West CenterThe East–West Center , headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, is an education and research organization established by the U.S. Congress in 1960 to strengthen relations and understanding among the peoples and nations of Asia, the Pacific and the United States....
humanitarian aide & disaster assistance - Humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquakeHumanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquakeThe humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was prompted by one of the worst natural disasters of modern times. On 26 December 2004, the earthquake, which struck off the northwest coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, generated a tsunami that wreaked havoc along much of the...
- James Martin StaggJames Martin StaggGroup Captain Sir James Martin Stagg, CB, OBE, FRSE was a British Royal Air Force meteorologist who notably persuaded General Dwight D. Eisenhower to change the date of the Allied invasion of Europe in World War II, from June 5 to June 6, 1944.Stagg was born in Dalkeith, Scotland...
, military meteorologist for Operation OverlordOperation OverlordOperation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
1944
- U.S. Air Force Weather AgencyAir Force Weather AgencyThe Air Force Weather Agency is a Field Operating Agency and the lead military meteorology center of the United States Air Force...
- U.S. Air Force Special Operations Weather TechnicianAir Force Special Operations Weather TechnicianSpecial Operations Weather Team specialists are tactical observer/forecasters with ground combat capabilities and fall under the 720th Special Tactics Group within the Air Force Special Operations Command...
- Flight Meteorologist BadgeFlight Meteorologist BadgeThe Flight Meteorologist insignia is a military badge decoration of the United States Navy which is issued to officers of the Restricted Line who are commissioned as weather and meteorology specialists. To be issued the insignia, an officer must also have completed flight training to qualify as a...
, U.S. Navy
Further reading
- John F. Fuller, (1974) Weather and War, Military Airlift Command, U.S. Air Force
- Thomas Haldane, War History of the Australian Meteorological Service in the Royal Australian Air Force April 1941 to July 1946 accessed at Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, University of Melbourne http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/fam/0203.html August 2, 2006
- Timothy C. Spangler, The COMET program: A decade of professional development for our civilian and military weather services, abstract of paper at 13th Symposium on Education, 2004, American Meteorological Society accessed at http://ams.confex.com/ams/84Annual/techprogram/paper_66389.htm August 2, 2006
- Overview of U.S. military satellite systems for meteorology at http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/meteo-overview.htm
- Col. Tamzy J. House et al. (1996) Weather as a Force Multiplier:Owning the Weather in 2025 accessed at http://www.au.af.mil/au/2025/volume3/chap15/v3c15-1.htm August 2, 2006
- Historical bibliography at ibiblio.org http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/academic/history/marshall/military/mil_hist_inst/w/weather.asc
External links
- U.S. Navy Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center public website
- Air Force Weather Agency public website
- Cold Fronts a book by and about a Cold War era Air Force meteorologist