U.S. Department of Agriculture, Weather Bureau (Richmond, Va.), Records, 1897-1979

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Records, 1897-1979, relating to weather observation by the United States Weather Bureau's Richmond station, located in Richmond, Virginia. Included are volumes containing Monthly Records of Observations and Annual Meteorological Summaries containing weather observations such as maximum and minimum temperatures; precipitation levels, character of the day (cloudy or clear); barometer pressure; dew-point; thermograph and barograph readings; hours of sunshine; wind velocity; and miscellaneous phenomena such as frosts, thunderstorms, solar halos, and lunar halos. In 1905 the volumes included a map of the United States and contain notations on the temperatures and weather systems across the country. Later the volumes include Local Climatological Data and Surface Weather Observations, with the same type of information. Reports were taken from the airport office at Byrd Field (WBAS) and the city office at Chimboraza Park (WBO).

Biographical / historical:

The U.S. Weather Bureau was established by an act of Congress on 1 October 1890. It took over the weather service that had been established in the Office of the Chief Signal Officer of the War Department in 1870. The duties of the Weather Bureau included forecasting, recording climatological data, and making meteorological observations and reports. The Bureau was transferred to the Department of Commerce in 1940.

Acquisition information:
Donor information unavailable.
Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically.

Physical description:
33 cu. ft. (106 volumes)