Originally weather prediction was pretty simple. What was it like yesterday? Best guess, it'll be like that today. Unless it isn't. Locals would learn typical weather patterns and signals of hazardous weather, and pass it along. In the 1600s scientists starting realizing that barometers could forecast storms when it measured a quick change in pressure. It wasn't until the 1800s when inventors were able to make a barometer reliable enough to be used on an ocean vessel.

There are a series of inventions over the last hundred years that have impacted weather awareness and travel. These are centered around two aspects: communication and remote detection.

Communication has always led the way, with the wireless telegraph giving way to radio and now satellite relay. Communication, just by itself, provides remote detection.

Before the invention of the wireless telegraph ships were limited to barometers onboard (falling pressure would indicate an approaching storm) and their lookouts. The wireless telegraph led to improvements in travel time and safety along common ship routes. Think of it as a local network, that with enough ships can inform weather and other news. A great example of this is the night the Titanic sank; she had received reports of icebergs in the vicinity from other vessels who would broadcast to all that could receive them. Other vessels slowed down due to the danger and poor visibility of the night, but Titanic herself is another story (or movie, or two).

The next advancement in communication were the voice radio and land-line telephones. These allowed much more efficient communication of weather data. There are two examples here.

1. During World War II, the Allies were desperately looking for every advantage to help with the invasion of Europe in France. The weather patterns of the region meant that the weather fronts approached from the northwest from hundreds of miles away. The Allies had a key advantage here -- Iceland weather observations informed Allied forecasters on what fronts were progressing and gave them several days warning before something would reach France. General Eisenhower gave the green light when the forecasters predicted the required conditions would be met. The Nazi defenders, with less weather data, had not forecasted conditions favorable for amphibious assault and so were less alert.
2. In the 1950s, the United States Weather Bureau had a network of reporting stations across the continent. Collecting measurements, by hand and on a specific schedule, and phoning them to the Bureau, weather forecasters could plot where the weather fronts, and centers of high and low pressure were across the country and then provide regular forecasts from that data. Hurricanes and blizzards were of keen interest, as people traveling during such events could encounter great risk with little other warning. Weather balloons were common instruments. Weather buoys offshore expanded this network, and ships would report in too.

We should talk about radar here, as weather radar developed in this period. Radar operators could detect weather phenomena but often couldn't tell much about about it. It took time and effort to learn and correlate what levels of rain and snow looked like on radar. By 1960, the US Weather Bureau had enough experience and confidence with radar to use it for detection and forecasting. Coupling this data with the weather station network increased the frequency and accuracy of forecasts.

The 1960s saw a revolution in both communication and detection from space. Low earth orbiting satellites were imaging and measuring clouds, and providing regular and dependable intercontinental communication.

The 1990s provided the Internet, making it easier to distribute and receive weather information on demand rather than via newspaper or broadcast by radio and television.

And the 2010s provided smartphones, making it easy for millions of people to access the data while on the move in an area with cellular coverage.

"Origins of the Marine Barometer." Anita McConnell, Annals of Science Journal, 2012.

"Impact of Weather on Military Operations: Past, Present, and Future." Lt. Col. Gary Atkinson, USAF, US Army War College, 1973.

"About Radar." National Weather Service website, 2017.