COOPERATIVE
OBSERVER PROGRAM
NWS Congratulates Edwin L. Stoll Award Recipient Minnie Wainer of Ellenville, NY
National Weather Service
Cooperative Observer - A perspective
The National
Weather Service (NWS) has been tasked with the issuance of severe
weather watches and warnings designed to protect life and property.
To this end, the collection of timely and accurate surface weather
data is vital. In addition to the protection of life and property,
the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(of which the NWS is a part) has been given the job of maintaining
a database of climatic weather information. This too is used by
the NWS in preparing medium and long range forecasts.
These two jobs have the
Cooperative Observer Program, Co-Op Program in short, in common.
The Co-Op Program is the backbone of the United States Climatological
database. Co-Op observers frequently act as both as severe storm
spotters, phoning in reports of hazardous weather in the winter
and summer.
The History of the CO-OP Program
What
is the job of a CO-OP observer?
Being a NWS Cooperative
observer can be a demanding job. To provide accurate and complete
weather data, observations are required seven days a week 365 days
a year. This does not mean that someone has to be monitoring the
"weather" all the time; instruments are provided to monitor
temperature and precipitation. Yet someone should be available to
record the daily maximum and minimum temperature, the precipitation,
and snowfall. This generally is done around 7am.
This information is recorded
on a form which is mailed monthly to the local NWS office for quality
assurance before forwarding to the National Climatic Data Center
(NCDC) in Asheville, North Carolina. There is also a secondary level
of cooperative observer, the unofficial coop. No less important
that the official coop sites, unofficial coop observers provide
valuable information on precipitation to the NWS. The only real
difference between official and unofficial coops is the unofficial
coops data are not archived on a national level. Unofficial coops
typically receive just a plastic 4 inch rain gage.
Is there a need for additional Cooperative Observers in the area?
What equipment is
used?
All equipment (such as
a rain gage) and supplies (forms, envelopes, etc) are provided by
the National Weather Service. To
learn more about the equipment, click here!
Depending on the level
of service expected, equipment can vary from a simple 4 inch non
recording plastic or 8 inch metal rain gage, to a full coop station
with electronic thermometer and recording precipitation gage. The
placement and type of Cooperative Weather Observers is determined
by the NCDC as requested by the NWS Representative (NWSREP). Generally
cooperative stations are evenly spaced in relatively flat terrain
(more than 30 miles apart) but may be closer together in hilly terrain
or under special circumstances. Most common are the "C"
order station which support meteorological programs rather than
climatological programs. Typically these are observers have a non
recording rain gage. "A" and "B" order stations
are for longer term climatological and hydrologic operations and
have less contact with a NWSREP.
The NWSREP will deliver,
set up, and maintain the necessary equipment. Typically, a station
consists of a set of Maximum/Minimum thermometers or a Max/Min Temperature
System (MMTS) and a rain gage. There are two basic types of rain
gages - recording and non-recording. Non-recording rain gages consist
of a metal tube approximately 8 inches in diameter and 3 feet tall
with a removable funnel and inner plastic or metal measuring tube.
Precipitation is measured by placing a calibrated stick into the
tube, seeing where the water marks the stick and recording the data.
A recording rain gage
has either a drum which holds a paper chart or a drive mechanism
which punches holes in a strip chart to record precipitation. At
the end of each month, the charts are forwarded to the local NWS
office for QA then forwarding to NCDC.
What happens with
the information collected daily?
Data can be transmitted
to the local NWS office by using a PC based system called PC-ROSA,
or sending on a web page. This near real-time data is used to support
the day-to-day operations of the NWS in its forecast and warning
decisions.
What kind of training
is involved?
Training consists of
on site, hands on instruction with the designated
Cooperative Observer
and their backup. This usually is done the same day as the equipment
is installed and takes about one hour. If necessary, additional
training may be provided upon request. Basic equipment maintenance
is discussed and the Co-Op observer is provided with a name ("point
of contact") and a number should additional questions or problems
arise. A reference binder is also provided.
Snow Measuring Guide:
Step
I - Introduction & Preparation
Steps II and III: Measurement & Recording
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