Abbe, Cleveland (1838-1916)

US meteorologist. He is credited with setting high standards for the science of meteorology. With a background in astronomy, he began to forecast weather in 1868 when he became director of the Cincinnati Observatory. Abbe suggested a system for dividing the USA into four time zones which was adopted in 1883.

Born in New York, Abbe worked on the US Coast and Geodetic Survey before becoming an apprentice at the Russian Pulkovo Observatory in 1864, home of what was then the largest refracting telescope in the world. He attempted to establish an observatory in New York City on his return to the USA in 1866, but soon moved to Cincinnati. His work there included producing weather reports based on telegraphed reports of storms for the Chamber of Commerce. In 1871 he became scientific assistant to the Weather Bureau of the Signal Corps, and he continued to forecast weather until his death. He wrote and edited many publications, including Report on Standard Time (1879), Preliminary Studies for Storm and Weather Predictions (1889), and Physical Basis of Long-range Forecastings (1902).