John Park Finley (April 11, 1854 – November 24, 1943) was an American meteorologist and Army Signal Service officer who was the first person to study tornadoes intensively and pioneer tornado forecasting.

[1][2][3][4] John Park Finley was born on April 11, 1854, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

He graduated with a Bachelors in Science in 1873, specializing in climate impacts on agriculture.

Finley was soon stationed in Washington, where he was frequently ordered by the service to survey nearby tornado damage.

[5] In subsequent years, Finley authored several books, including his Tornadoes: What They Are and How To Observe Them.