Feb. 9, 1870: National Weather Service Authorized
Long the dream of Milwaukee scientist Increase Lapham, on this date in 1870, President Ulysses S. Grant signed a joint resolution authorizing a National Weather Service. Lapham had proposed such a service after he had mapped data contributed over telegraph lines in the Upper Midwest and realized that weather might be predicted in advance.
Concerned about avoiding potential disasters on the Great Lakes and to Wisconsin farming, Lapham’s proposal was approved by Congress and authorized on this date, February 9, 1870.
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