Upper‐air winds over northern Alaska during the Polar Year, August 1932 To August 1933

The United States Weather Bureau is now engaged in the preparation of some 25,000 pilot‐balloon summary forms for the Second International Polar Year Commission. On these forms are entered the data from all Weather Bureau pilot‐balloon stations including one in Puerto Rico and four in Alaska for the period August 1932 to August 1933, inclusive. Since the International Commission is especially interested in observations in and near the polar regions, the Weather Bureau established, and maintained for the greater portion of the Polar Year, a special meteorological station at Point Barrow—the northernmost point of land in Alaska, located at latitude 71° 23′ north in longitude 150° 17′ west. Along with other important observations, pilot‐balloon observations were made twice daily, weather permitting, from September 14, 1932 to August 11, 1933, inclusive. During this period a total of 580 observations were made—88 per cent of the total scheduled. Of the 580 observations made, 473 reached one km, 276 reached three km, 108 reached 5 km, and 15 reached 10 km. The highest single observation was made on July 9, 1933, when an altitude of 12.5 km was attained. The wind at that point was north‐northeast at 15 meters per second. The highest velocity recorded during the entire period was 41 meters per second from the west on October 7, 1932.