Instruments and Observations

Timcke inherited Warren's plans for the extension of the meteorological network of surface and upper air observations. Some progress had been made in their implementation, but much remained to be done. Much credit is owed to Bill Brann, Supervising Meteorologist (Instruments), who with the help of Geoff Goodman and Reg Stout, was able to accomplish a remarkable improvement in the surface and upper air observational network in the Timcke years from 1950 to 1955.

The strain on Timcke and Brann was considerable as the Commonwealth Government had embarked on a policy of restricting Public Service manpower and expenditure in order to balance the Federal budget. This meant that it was difficult to find the finance to pay the salaries of the additional staff required for the extension of the observing network and to purchase the equipment required.

A hidden requirement was the support from the Bureau in providing meteorological service for the British top secret tests of atomic weapons at the Monte Bello Islands and Emu Field described earlier. The quality of the service provided by the Bureau for these tests depended heavily on the network of observations on which special forecasts could be based and there was an urgent need for this network to be improved. But Timcke was restrained in communicating these needs to the Public Service Board and the Department of Treasury because of the top secret security of the operations.

The network of surface observations and the communications to bring them to Bureau offices were upgraded. Also, at the time of Warren's death there were 18 radiosonde stations;
at Adelaide (Parafield), Alice Springs, Brisbane (Amberley), Charleville, Cloncurry, Darwin, Heard Island, Hobart, Kalgoorlie, Lord Howe Island, Macquarie Island, Melbourne (Laverton), Norfolk Island, Perth (Pearce), Port Hedland, Newcastle (Rathmines), Garbutt and Woomera.

Bureau of Meteorology