Presidential Weather

Abstract

The presidency of the United States is closely concerned with the state of the weather as well as with the state of the Union. Often the two are intertwined. On Election Day, current weather may be the decision maker in the personal plans of numerous citizens in visiting the polls or not. Next, on Inaugural Day, fine weather helps to enhance the pageantry of the ceremonies and starts a new administration with a mood of fair-weather optimism. During the four hard years in office the President and his advisors are called on to deal with natural disasters in the form of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and droughts. Since 1950 it has been the responsibility of the presidential office to designate disaster areas so that all arms of the federal government can be mobilized for relief and rehabilitation.