Royal Mail celebrates the 170th anniversary of the Met Office, and the history, science and future of Weather Forecasting with a special issue of 8 mint stamps.
For most of human history, people regarded weather as a mysterious force of nature. The wind might blow, the rain might fall or the sun might shine, but it all seemed to happen without a clear pattern. For centuries, people relied on folk wisdom or the prognostications of astrologers as they sought to find out what was coming next. But then, about two hundred years ago, in Britain, a bold new scientific discipline began to emerge. It would transform our relationship with the atmosphere, making life safer and more enjoyable. Today, we refer to this discipline as weather forecasting.
2024 marks 170 years since the foundation of the Met Office in 1854, the UK’s national meteorological service. Since its inception, it has pioneered the science of meteorology and its application. Their experts use a wealth of scientific, technological and operational expertise and work around the clock to provide critical weather services to help us make better decisions, stay safe and thrive in our environment.
2nd Class Luke Howard, pioneer meteorologist, classified clouds in 1803
2nd Class Storm barometer of Robert FitzRoy, founder of the Met Office in 1854
1st Class Terra Nova Expedition studied extreme weather in 1910–12
1st Class Marine buoys collect data for the Shipping Forecast, first broadcast in 1924
£2.00 Weather observers were vital to the success of the D-Day invasion in 1944
£2.00 Radar and computers improved forecasting accuracy from the 1950s
£2.20 Barbara Edwards became the first British female TV weather presenter in 1974
£2.20 Supercomputers and satellites help track the Earth’s weather today
