A flagrant lack of communication

During the inquest, witnesses from the Dominion Weather Observatory in Toronto were questioned. The organization was criticized because of the infrequency of their forecasts. At the time of the Great Storm, the weather observatory gave two weather reports every day except Sundays.

It was mentioned during the inquest that more frequent weather reports would be beneficial. During the inquest, the hypothesis was also raised that this lack of forecasting and communication may have been why so many ships were out on the lake. The inquest reads as follows: “The evidence of the representative of the Meteorological Department of Toronto stated in his evidence that it was well known to that department at 10.30 p.m. on the 8^th Nov. that a storm of unusual velocity was about to reach Lake Huron almost immediately, but no intimation of this was sent out, reliance being placed on the continued display of the storm signals put up on the 7^th and continued up as above stated.

“It is probable that had the knowledge possessed by the weather bureau at 10.30 p.m. on the 8^th Nov. had been out by phone (or had wireless means been available for doing so) at least some of those vessels would have been prevented from going out into the storm then impending.”