JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On June 6, 1944, the largest amphibious invasion in history took place along the coast of France, an event forever known as D-Day.
While much is known about the heroism and strategy behind Operation Overlord, the critical role of weather forecasting is often overlooked. The success of this pivotal operation hinged significantly on the accurate weather predictions made in the days leading up to the invasion.
Operation Overlord needed to be executed between June 4-6 to avoid underwater obstacles like mines and beach defenses that could only be navigated at low tide. However, a severe storm on June 4 posed a significant threat to the mission's timing. Missing this window would mean delaying the invasion by two weeks, increasing the risk of the operation being discovered by German forces.
Enter Capt. James Stagg, a meteorologist supporting General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Without the aid of modern technology, Stagg relied on traditional observation and forecasting techniques to predict the weather. He identified a low-pressure area over the Scandinavian Peninsula and a front moving across the coast of France, which he predicted would clear by the morning of June 6, just before another storm arrived on June 7-8.
Stagg's forecast proved accurate. Although the skies cleared, windy conditions persisted, impacting the landing. Many paratroopers missed their targets due to the wind, and the English Channel crossing was rough for the amphibious boats. However, the weather was still favorable enough to allow the landings to proceed, a critical factor in the success of D-Day.
This forecast was so crucial that it has become a part of history.
It's reported that President-elect John F. Kennedy, while riding to the U.S. Capitol for his inauguration, asked his predecessor Eisenhower why the invasion succeeded. Eisenhower's alleged response was: "Because we had better meteorologists than the Germans!"
