In 1924, the first weather report was broadcast in Stockholm, including a forecast for the following day. In those days, weather forecasts were based only on the movements of high and low pressure, which were related to statistics on the usual weather in those kinds of areas. Sweden’s meteorological service (SMHA, now known as SMHI) was founded in 1918, but since 1873, there has been a central institution that co-ordinated 28 observation stations in Sweden.
Weather is crucial for aviation safety
The importance of weather reports in the armed forces related to artillery, and increased with the introduction of poison gas as a weapon. The inception of military aircraft around 1912 alerted the armed forces to the crucial role in aviation safety that weather plays. At this time, flights were short, and pilots had to rely on their own observations of the weather around the plane. As flights increased in distance, pilots were able to obtain information from the SMHA. This information was supplemented by reports along the chosen flight path, often from railway and harbour pilot stations. This was an intelligent strategy, as pilots in those early years flew along railway routes, whenever possible. The stations could thus act as warning locations. Canvas strips of different colours were placed between the tracks to show whether bad weather was expected.
Meteorologists on board
Early on, the Air Force organised weather flights on which meteorologists accompanied pilots. These flights were most numerous in the 1960s and 1970s following the introduction of two-seater jet planes. Aircrafts such as the J 28 Vampire A, S, J 32 Lansen, J 33 Venom, and SK 60 could be used for this function. At F 1, the two-seater variety of the Draken, J 35C, was also used. Formations that lacked two-seaters, made local weather flights with the SK 16 or SK 50.