D-Day weather forecasting
디데이 기상예보
D-Day weather forecasting was the military forecasting process that combined atmospheric and sea conditions to determine when the 1944 Normandy landing could be launched. Allied forecasters assessed wind, sea state, cloud, visibility, moonlight and tides, leading them to postpone the landing from 5 June and recommend a narrow weather window on 6 June.
In depth
Operational constraints
The assault had to coincide with low tide near first light and a rising tide, allowing troops to see beach obstacles while preventing landing craft from being stranded. Airborne operations also required moonlight, leaving only a few suitable dates each month.
The June 1944 decision
Teams from the UK Met Office, Royal Navy and US Army Air Forces compared data at Southwick House. James Stagg recommended postponement because of stormy conditions on 5 June, then judged that additional observations indicated a limited improvement beginning before dawn on 6 June. British synoptic forecasting and the American analogue method produced competing outlooks, while Allied forecasters also used decoded German weather observations.
Related historical events
Sources
- Wikipedia (EN) : 오버로드 작전의 기상·조석·달빛 조건, 연합군 예보팀과 1944년 6월 5~6일의 결정 과정을 뒷받침한다.
- metoffice.gov.uk : 제임스 스태그가 이끈 예보 체계, 시놉틱·유사법의 차이, 암호 해독으로 확보한 관측자료, 6월 5일 연기와 6월 6일의 좁은 기상창을 뒷받침한다.