Services for the General Public

Radio stations increased the frequency and detail in broadcasting weather forecasts and information from early morning to late in the evening in competition with newspapers which all sought copies of the weather chart, forecasts and general information. The ABC gave much air time to Bureau products, even to the extent of including detailed lists of rainfall and river heights.

Radio stations also began to broadcast warnings of floods, frosts, bushfire risk and tropical cyclones. The general public began to be more aware of the Bureau and the value of its services. All of these developments provided stimulation for Bureau staff to strive for increased accuracy and relevance of forecasts and warnings.

Much of the initiative in seeking such improvements came from the staff of the Divisional Offices. People like John Hogan (1912–1978) in his liaison with the forestry and bushfire people in Perth and Adelaide, George Mackey in Perth and Barney Newman and Arch Shields in Brisbane with their interest in tropical cyclone warnings and the staffs in the Sydney and Melbourne Divisional Offices with their interests in floods and bushfires were eager to develop their warning services. John Lillywhite had a highly competent senior forecaster in Jack Johnston, and John Hogan (1896–1970) had strong support in Sydney with A. K. (Keith) Hannay.

There was also special interest in issuing warnings to farmers of frost and hot humid weather which might affect fruit, and cold snaps posing a danger to sheep.

Bureau of Meteorology