The D-Day Weather Forecast That Changed History

Group Captain James Stagg, a Scottish meteorologist, personally convinced Eisenhower to launch D-Day on 6 June based on a brief window of improving weather that German meteorologists had completely missed. The Germans believed no amphibious landing was possible in the conditions and Field Marshal Rommel even returned to Germany for his wife's birthday. Stagg's forecast was so accurate that the single day of fair weather he predicted was the ONLY suitable day within the entire month — had Eisenhower waited another two weeks, the invasion might have been delayed until 1945.