The contribution of Soviet meteorologists to the Victory in the Great Patriotic War

In books and materials devoted to the events of the Great Patriotic War, we often find information about the exploits of Soviet infantrymen, tank crews, pilots, radio operators and partisans. At the same time, few people know that meteorologists also made a significant contribution to the Great Victory of the Red Army.

Moreover, the hydrometeorological service sometimes played a key role in battles and in planning offensive operations. These specialists contributed to the organization of work aviation и fleet, helped to take into account the conditions for setting up smoke screens at crossings and calculate the consumption of smoke agents, and also chose the most convenient directions for maneuvering troops.

For example, during the defense of Moscow, meteorologists were able to accurately determine the permeability of the snow cover for tank formations, which allowed the Red Army to successfully launch a counteroffensive on December 5, 1941.

In addition, hydrometeorological service specialists also contributed to the liberation of Rostov. Thus, the forecast of meteorologists about the onset of cold weather and the end of the thaw allowed the Southern Front to plan and carry out a counter-offensive, which lasted from November 17 to December 2, 1941.

There were also cases when violating the recommendations of meteorologists led to disastrous consequences. Thus, during the planning of the landing of troops near Novorossiysk by the command of the Red Army, hydrometeorological service specialists recommended using two “windows” - at the end of January and in the first three days of February 1943.

February 3 was eventually chosen for the operation. However, initially everything did not go according to plan and the landing took place a day later - on February 4.

As is known, the above-mentioned landing operation failed. Of course, the main reason was the unsuppressed Wehrmacht artillery, but deteriorating weather with strong seas also made significant adjustments.

Finally, Soviet meteorologists played a key role in holding the parade on Red Square on November 7, 1941. Experts forecast unflyable weather for aviation, which made it possible to hold an event that significantly raised the patriotic spirit of USSR citizens, without fear of Luftwaffe raids. The forecast was completely justified.

Comments

[Vadim S]

Nobody argues about the need for this service; in the whole complex it is an important link. And now we always check the weather when planning our affairs, long trips, etc., we can’t live without it!

[KVU-NSVD]

These specialists contributed to the organization of the work of aviation and the navy, helped to take into account the conditions for setting up smoke screens at crossings and calculated the consumption of smoke agents, and also chose the most convenient directions for maneuvering troops.

This is all true. But the most widespread work of military meteorologists is meteorological batteries in artillery. Without a weather bulletin every two hours, it would be more difficult for even mortar men to work, and I’m not talking about long-range systems at all.

[Nyrobsky]

Then the forecasts were more accurate, despite the fact that the instruments were primitive. Now they can’t accurately predict for a day. If they say that there will be sun, then you need to take an umbrella.
My grandfather, Modest Mikhailovich Sokolov, was a meteorologist. He died on September 24.09.1944, XNUMX during the Riga operation near the village of Berzina, Madiensky district of the Latvian SSR, eternal memory to him.

[Alexey Lantukh]

The forecasts were more accurate back then.

Well, I just can’t agree with this. Now the forecast for the next day is usually accurate, but for five days the accuracy is already lower, not to mention 10. Of course, if we take the accuracy of the prediction of summer thunderstorms, then everyone can see for themselves: it has rained for you, but not a drop on the next street. That's nature.

[Corvair]

Yes, now powerful computers and satellites have made forecasts much more accurate and longer lasting. And as we get closer, the forecast is refined and sometimes adjusted significantly.
A modern army without a hydrometeorological service is impossible in principle. So weather forecasting is a dual-use technology, and this is largely why hydrometeorology is developing so intensively. The weather widget on our phones is actually a defense technology.

[Alexander Odintsov]

And Joseph Stalin himself worked a little as a meteorologist!!! In 1899, young Joseph Dzhugashvili got a job at the geophysical observatory in Tiflis as a computer-observer. He was engaged in meteorological observations for 98 days. His duties included hourly inspection of all instruments that measured air temperature, monitoring cloud cover, wind and air pressure.