Prior to the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, Thomas Jefferson acquired a thermometer and barometer from a Philadelphia merchant. Jefferson diligently recorded weather observations from 1776 until shortly before his passing in 1826. His meticulous records included temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind direction, and atmospheric phenomena. Jefferson’s dedication to weather observation extended to his travels in the United States and Europe.
Jefferson’s passion for meteorology was evident in his innovative approach, such as using a wind vane connected to a compass rose for indoor wind direction readings. He encouraged others, like James Madison, to join him in recording weather data. While Jefferson is renowned for his weather observations, Dr. John Lining in Charleston, South Carolina, began recording weather data in 1738, establishing one of the oldest continuous weather records.
Advancements in weather data collection, particularly with the advent of the telegraph in the mid-1800s, led to the establishment of centralized weather monitoring offices. The U.S. Signal Office produced the first American weather map on January 1, 1871, providing valuable meteorological information for various regions, though some areas, particularly in the western United States, lacked instrumentation at that time.
The Signal Office would later give rise to the Weather Bureau, which evolved into the contemporary National Weather Service.
