On the history of the statistical method in meteorology (Q801884)

As in his prior papers on history of statistical methods in biology, medicine, and astronomy [Arch. Hist. Exact Sci. 22, 323-371 (1980; Zbl 0456.62004), ibid. 26, 241-286 (1982; Zbl 0494.01001), ibid. 29, 151-199 (1984)] the author subdivides the history of statistical methods in three stages and he studies mainly the second one, in which scholars did not yet check their inferences by quantitative stochastic tests, it lasted until the turn of the 19th century. This second stage of the method also constitutes the prehistory of exploratory data analysis. The main objects are the influence of the moon on the weather, the organization of observations, statistical methods in meteorology, the dependence of weather on its previous states and an appendix on the contributions of J. B. Lamarck (1744-1829). Much attention is also given to L. Cotte (1740- 1815), J. Dalton (1766-1844), H. W. Dove (1803-1879). A. v. Humboldt (1769-1859), W. P. Köppen (1846-1940), A. Quetelet (1796-1874). Synoptical meteorology is excluded (144 references).