Title 18Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73

§2074 False weather reports

Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 101— - RECORDS AND REPORTS › § 2074

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

On purpose making or publishing a fake government weather forecast or warning is a crime. You can be fined, jailed for up to ninety days, or both.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §2074

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever knowingly issues or publishes any counterfeit weather forecast or warning of weather conditions falsely representing such forecast or warning to have been issued or published by the Weather Bureau, United States Signal Service, or other branch of the Government service, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ninety days, or both.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 117 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 61, 35 Stat. 1100). Minor verbal changes were made.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The United States Signal Service, referred to in text, is now the Signal Corps which is a branch of the Army, see section 3063 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $500”.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Weather Bureau of Department of Commerce consolidated with Coast and Geodetic Survey to form a new agency in Department of Commerce to be known as Environmental Science Services Administration by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1965, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. All functions of Bureau transferred to Secretary of Commerce by the Plan. Environmental Science Services Administration abolished by Reorg. Plan No. 4 of 1970, eff. Oct. 3, 1970, 35 F.R. 15627, 84 Stat. 2090, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, which created National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Department of Commerce. By Department Organization Order 25–5A, republished 39 F.R. 27486, Secretary of Commerce delegated to NOAA his functions relating to Weather Bureau. By order of Acting Associate Administrator of NOAA, the organization name of Weather Bureau was changed to National Weather Service. For further details, see Codification note under section 311 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 2074

Title 18Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73