Decoding Climate History from Whaling Logs

Decoding Climate History from Whaling Logs

Historians and climate scientists are uncovering new insights into historical weather and climate change by examining a surprising source: ship logbooks from 19th-century American whaling voyages.

In this talk on Saturday, July 19th, Dr. Timothy Walker, Professor of History at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and Dr. Caroline Ummenhofer, oceanographer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, will present their collaborative research using these logbooks—many of which are stored in New England archives including the New Bedford Whaling Museum, Nantucket Historical Association, and Falmouth Historical Society.

Spanning voyages from 1790 to 1910, the logs contain systematic daily weather observations, including wind direction, strength, rainfall, and cloud cover. These records are helping scientists reconstruct climate conditions in regions that lacked formal weather monitoring at the time.

The speakers will discuss how this data is being preserved and digitized, the challenges of working with historical documents, and how these records are contributing to a broader understanding of long-term changes in global wind and weather patterns.

MVM Members: $15, Non-Members: $25

DETAILS


Date July 19, 2025
From 5:00 pm
To 6:00 pm
Type Talk
Venue Martha’s Vineyard Museum
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