1842: James Espy appointed as first official U.S. Government meteorologist

1870: President Grant and Congress establish a government meteorological service

1884: First tornado predictions were issued

1887: Use of "tornado" was banned from forecasts to avoid panic by the general public

1891: U.S. Weather Bureau established

1921: First radio broadcast of a weather forecast

1938: Ban was lifted on the use of "tornado" in forecasts

1946: "Thunderstorm Project" researches storms and gathers new information

1948: First successful tornado alert issued

1954: National Severe Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC) begins operation

1959: First weather radar commissioned

1960: World's first weather satellite launched

1971: U.S. Weather Bureau becomes National Weather Service

1975: U.S. Departments of Commerece and Defense test Doppler radar technology

1995: NSSFC renamed Storm Prediction Center (SPC)

1996: U.S. national network of Doppler radars (NEXRAD) completed