Our staff would like to recognize the following cooperative observers in WFO Amarillo network.

• Darral Watson in Wayside, Texas for 40 years of service.


• Sam Haynes in Mclean, Texas for 25 years of service.


• Lila Curtis in Gate, Oklahoma for 20 years of service.


• Charles Hartline in Gageby, Texas for 15 years of service.

These dedicated volunteers record daily weather information. This information is the backbone of our Nation’s Climatological Data collection network Their data is used in a variety of ways, from agriculture and commerce to engineering and litigation.

Cooperative Observers are extremely important in forecasting and assisting the NWS’s mission of protecting life and property. Our observers include farmers, retirees, police and fire departments, and radio stations for a few examples. These are local citizens with a myriad of lifestyles contributing directly to over a century’s worth of localized climatological data. If you are interested in becoming a Cooperative Weather Observer please call Tabatha Tripp at 1-800-275-8165.

Over two centuries ago, Thomas Jefferson envisioned a nation wide network of weather observers. He began recruitment in his home state of Virginia in 1776 which soon spread to Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York, and North Carolina. The network was taken over by the Smithsonian Institute in 1890, but not until 1953 when Dr. Helmut Landsberg of the Weather Bureau took over, was a nation wide volunteer network created.

It is estimated that Cooperative Observers donate over a million hours a year making NWS Coop Program work. It is one of the most cost effective government sponsored programs in force. The value of this century old data because more valuable with the passage of time. It is the cornerstone of our Nation’s weather history and is the primary data for research in global climatic change.

Check out the Spring issuance of the Dryline for more information on the many uses of Cooperative weather data.

The NWS has provided a replacement display unit for our Cooperative Observer Network. The new unit is the NIMBUS Digital Thermometer. The new unit is more accurate, has built in lightning protection and several other improvements to assist our observers in collecting better temperature information. If you have any questions or are interested in becoming a cooperative observer please contact Tabatha Tripp at 1-800-275-8165.