The US National Weather Service, established in 1890, issues weather forecasts, monitors weather patterns, and issues public warnings. In 2003, a test message warning of the Earth hurtling towards the Sun was accidentally posted. Other milestones include Hurricane Katrina and record-breaking temperatures in 2015.
The United States National Weather Service, originally known as the US Weather Bureau, was established in 1890 as part of the Department of Agriculture. Since then, the agency has performed tasks such as issuing weather forecasts, monitoring weather patterns, logging statistics, and issuing public warnings for floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. For decades, Americans have relied on the National Weather Service for reliable forecasts and warnings. But mistakes happen. On December 17, 2003, the United States National Weather Service issued a warning that read, “Earth has left its orbit and is hurtling towards the Sun.” The remainder of the message read: “Unusually warm weather will occur for at least the next few days as the Earth moves ever closer to the Sun. Therefore, a watch for excessive heat has been issued. The notice was a test message that was never meant to reach the public. It was posted by accident during a training session. While it was quickly removed, a fix had to be issued to relieve Americans who, for a short time, may have believed the end was near.
Other milestones of the time:
While we’re not actually hurtling towards the sun, scientists believe 2015 could be the warmest year on record in terms of global mean surface temperature.
Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, was the costliest natural disaster in US history.
In January 2007, nighttime temperatures in California dropped to 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6.6 degrees Celsius), damaging $14 billion (USD) worth of crops.
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