Message to the Congress Transmitting Annual Plan for United States Participation in the World Weather Program.

To the Congress of the United States:

A well-known maxim says, "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it."

That maxim is no longer valid. We are confident that the knowledge of weather we are gaining through studies and experiments carried out under the World Weather Program will give man the understanding, tools and techniques necessary to cope with his atmosphere.

We are continuing to make substantial progress in furthering the goals of this program. These goals are:

--To extend the time, range and scope of weather predictions;

--To assess the impact of atmospheric pollution on environmental quality;

--To study the feasibility and the consequences of weather modification;

--To encourage international cooperation in meeting the meteorological needs of all nations.

The United States will soon begin continuous viewing of storms over much of the earth's surface through the use of two geostationary satellites. These satellites will also relay information from remote observing stations, thereby strengthening our ability to warn of potential natural disasters.

In cooperation with other nations, we expect soon to make five such satellites operational.

Immediate gains in weather predicting are also being made through increased computer power. This increased computer use will also in time produce long-term gains in both immediate and extended range prediction of global weather conditions and in the assessment of the impact of man's activities upon climate and weather.

During June through September this year a major international experiment will be conducted in the tropical Atlantic. This experiment is expected to provide new information on the origin of tropical storms and hurricanes, and the effects of these storms on global circulation.

In accordance with Senate Concurrent Resolution 67 of the 90th Congress, I am pleased to transmit this annual report describing the current and planned activities of Federal agencies participating in the World Weather Program.

RICHARD NIXON

The White House,

August 1, 1974.