U.S. Department of Commerce,Weather Bureau — Puerto Rico Historic Buildings Drawings Society

U.S. Department of Commerce,Weather Bureau

 

U.S. Department of Commerce Weather Bureau
Avenida de la Constitución
Puerta de Tierra
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Designed by Albert B. Nicholson (1930)

The history of the National Weather Service in the Caribbean dates back to the 18th century when it became evident that hurricanes, which affected the Continental United States, had their origin in the Caribbean and the Tropical Atlantic.

Back in the 1870's, the U.S Government gave support for the collection and processing of meteorological data across the Caribbean Islands. The collection of this data across the Caribbean led to the first study of the San Felipe Hurricane of September 13, 1876. The U.S. Weather Bureau then published and disseminated this study throughout the United States, which led to an understanding of the hurricane vortex and its behavior. In May, 1899, the U.S. Weather Bureau established its Weather Office in Puerto Rico immediately upon taking command the island. That same year, a network of rain gauges was placed around the island and the collection and dissemination of daily weather observations began.

Initially in 1899, the Weather Bureau Office was established in Old San Juan, in a building next to the Fortaleza. The meteorological observations were administered by the local Department of Public Works. In 1913, the Weather Office was moved to Puerta de Tierra in Old San Juan. Unfortunately, this building was destroyed by the San Felipe II Hurricane of September 13, 1928. It was rebuilt with concrete blocks and used by the U.S. Weather Bureau, then under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, until 1946, when the Office was relocated to the Isla Grande Airport. The original building, which is now a historical site, is still in place in Puerta de Tierra and forms part of the Old San Juan historical structures protected by law. It is being used as a museum by Puerto Rico’s National Guard. The building has the emblem of the Department of Commerce with the Weather Bureau name placed on it.

As the importance of commercial aviation grew and the demand for aviation weather services increased, the San Juan Weather Office was moved again in 1954, but this time to the new San Juan International Airport at Isla Verde (Carolina), where it remained in the main building until 1994.