The Dust Bowl and How It Affected Weather Predicting - Research Paper Example

This paper therefore seeks to review the effects of Dust Bowl on weather predicting and to examine the technologies that were used. Practical use of weather predicting Structured weather reports were maintained following the discovery of instruments to measure atmospheric conditions in early in the 17th century. Certainly these initial reports were used mostly by those people who were involved in farming activities. As noted by Lutgens, et al. (2001) planting and harvesting of plants clearly was better planned if the long term weather patterns were predicted.

In America, weather prediction was initially done by the Army Signal Corps starting in the 1870s. This service was later offered by Department of Agriculture and later by the U.S Weather Bureau that was established in 1920s. Radio broadcasts was the main way of announcing weather forecast. Use of Radar technology One of the technologies used to predict weather during the America Dust Bowl era was the radar. Following the Dust Bowl, those involved in weather forecasting focused on the use to radar as a tool to predict weather.

Though, radar has been developed to monitor enemy airplanes, it was discovered that the equipment gave better results from raindrops at a particular wavelengths. Thus, it became feasible to track and examine development of thunderstorms or heavy showers and also it was possible to “view” the precipitation composition of big storms. Indeed, as pointed out by Byers (1994) the Dust Bowl that were experienced were caused by a long drought that lasted about six years leaving the landscape with bear and when strong wind came, they easily gathered tones of dust resulting in this Dust Bowl.

Thus, the radar was seen as a tool to forecast such severe weather disasters. Indeed, since the era, radar has developed in its meteorological use as a predicting tool. As Wigley (1985) remind us, nearly all tornadoes as well as harsh thunderstorms in America have been predicted using this long-established technology. Radar examination of development, movement and features of these kinds of storms offers hints of the level of the storms. However, current radars have improved technology of Doppler, which is move effective.

According to Trihey and Campbell (1989) the Dust Bowl, that followed the very bad drought in the Midwest experience between 1930 and 1936, was a typical meteorological drought, meaning that it resulted mainly due to odd climate patterns. They further points out that these climate patterns were destructive in their rhythmic relentlessness. Meteorological Kites In early 1930, meteorological kites were used to in weather forecasting. The kites were used in the weather stations for weather observations, and also in examining the atmosphere to collect different information regarding the weather.

The main instruments that were carried on the kite included those for measuring the wind velocity, temperatures, different humidity at different altitudes as well as the barometer that was used to measure pressure. Indeed, as observed by Williams (2001) during this era, the U.S Weather Bureau perfected the science of using the kite. Different sizes of kites were used according to their speed and how far they could go. Nonetheless, these kites had their