The National Weather Association (NWA), founded in 1975, is an American

professional association A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that profession, and t ...

with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational

meteorology Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences (which include atmospheric chemistry and physics) with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did no ...

and related activities.

Background

The National Weather Association is, along with the

American Meteorological Society The American Meteorological Society (AMS) is the premier scientific and professional organization in the United States promoting and disseminating information about the atmospheric, oceanic, and hydrologic sciences. Its mission is to advance th ...

(AMS), one of the two principal meteorological organizations in the USA. The NWA focuses on operational meteorology, i.e.,

weather forecasting Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the conditions of the atmosphere for a given location and time. People have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia and formally since the 19th cen ...

and the application of forecasts to human affairs. To accomplish this, the Association's objectives are:About the National Weather Association
# to provide a medium for all persons interested in weather, including climate, forecasting, observations, observational systems and related research and development for the publishing of letters, pamphlets, periodicals, papers, and Web pages concerning activities in said fields; # to provide information, publications, materials, and seminars that will promote forecasting, analysis, observations, training, and education in the meteorological disciplines. There are dozens of local and student chapters of the National Weather Association. The national organization, as well as some local chapters, conduct conferences on various aspects of operational meteorology (i.e., weather forecasting and presentation). The NWA's primary assembly is the ''NWA Annual Meeting''. The NWA awards scholarships and grants to mostly undergraduate students, but they do award some scholarships and grants to graduate students majoring in meteorology or a related field of study. The NWA also annually bestows awards to outstanding practicing meteorologists. NWA engages in advocacy activities, such as releasing policy statements on topics including use of storm shelters,

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

, FCC broadcasting issues, and positions on weather observation systems. The organization also hosts WeatherReadyFest, an annual public outreach event which draws thousands to a different science museum each year ahead of their annual meeting.

Broadcaster Seal of Approval

Like the AMS' Certified Broadcast Meteorologist Seal, the NWA also has a ''Seal of Approval'' for broadcasters. Sealholders must pass a multiple choice test on meteorological principles and submit tapes to a panel of fellow weathercasters for review. Unlike the AMS seal, a college degree in meteorology or the

physical sciences Physical science is a branch of natural science that studies non-living systems, in contrast to life science. It in turn has many branches, each referred to as a "physical science", together called the "physical sciences". Definition Phy ...

is not required, although there is a minimum experience requirement (a broadcaster must have three full years of on-air experience, or two full years of five-day-a-week forecasting, to qualify for the seal). The NWA also offers a digital seal, with the goal of distinguishing scientifically based credible weather content on the internet from all others.

Publications

The National Weather Association publishes the following scientific journals:NWA Publications
/ref> * '' Journal of Operational Meteorology'' (2013–present) * '' Electronic Journal of Operational Meteorology'' (2000 - 2012) * '' National Weather Digest'' (1976 - 2012)

References

External links

National Weather Association (NWA)
{{Authority control Meteorological societies Professional associations based in the United States Scientific organizations based in the United States Organizations based in Oklahoma 1975 establishments in the United States Scientific organizations established in 1975

Background

Broadcaster Seal of Approval

Publications

See also

References

External links