How Did the Weather Affect D-Day?
By Richard Sparago on May 23, 2012, 5:00am
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Weather has played an important role in many military operations throughout history. George Washington crossed the Delaware when the weather conditions were favorably warm (in late December). The timing of the D-Day invasion was heavily influenced by weather forecasts and conditions. In fact, research shows that weather forecasts may have played an even more important role than we may have thought.
The invasion of Normandy was originally planned for June 5th, one day before the actual invasion took place. However, on June 4th, there was a significant low pressure system north of Great Britain, causing rain and strong winds in the English Channel. General Eisenhower, on the advice of American and British meteorologists, decided to postpone the invasion. But for how long? There was a debate among the meteorologists about the weather conditions forecasted for June 6th. Group Captain Stagg, the British leader of the forecasting team, finally convinced Eisenhower that a weak ridge would build during the night of June 5th and last through June 6th, providing for "tolerable" invasion conditions, before another storm would approach from the west. The Germans were convinced that the weather would be bad, in fact, General Rommel was so convinced that an invasion was not possible that he left Normandy for the weekend. Eisenhower followed Stagg's advice, and the rest, to use a term, is history.
But what if Eisenhower went with the forecasts of his American meteorologists, who used different techniques than their British colleagues, and insisted June 6th would be rainy and windy? The next possible dates for the invasion were June 19th and 20th, since those were the next days that moon conditions would have been right. There needed to be a late rise to the moon, to provide darkness for the paratroopers, but light after they'd landed. Also, the moon had to be at an angle to allow for low tide, so the landing craft could get close to shore.
As it turned out, a significant (some refer to it as the "storm of the century") storm hit northern France on June 19th and 20th. Conditions in the Channel were much worse than those of June 5th. If the Allies did invade on June 19th or 20th, what may have happened? If they put off the invasion a few more months, could the Germans have solidified their positions? We'll never know. But we do know that Captain Stagg, a meteorologist, had a say in the success of the D-Day invasion.
Image credit: Brendan Howard / Shutterstock.com
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