In our continuing journey through meteorological history in our #StormyWeather with @metoffice @MetOffice_Sci, we look at the foundation of the Met Office itself, from the start of formal data collection to the first national weather forecasts. https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/foundations-of-the-met-office/fwLy1dNViS4-JQ

The @metoffice is the national meteorological service for the UK. It was established as the Meteorological Department of the Board of Trade in 1854 under the leadership of Captain Robert FitzRoy. FitzRoy had been Captain of the HMS Beagle during the voyage with Charles Darwin.

Storms, like the Royal Charter Gale of 25th/26th October 1859, claimed 800 lives and 133 ships, focused attention on the need for storm warnings. FitzRoy believed his department could provide them, with the chart below showing they could track the storm.

Using data from around the coast of Britain and France transmitted by telegraph, the Met Office could analyse the data and issue warnings if need be. Below you can see the first page of the Daily Weather report made up of this data.

FitzRoy also helped develop systems of storm signals for sailors, like the one below, & was aware that the whole population could benefit from weather forecasts. The first @metoffice Public Weather Forecast was printed in The Times on 1 August 1861. https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/foundations-of-the-met-office/fwLy1dNViS4-JQ