President's Message
Severe Storms Across U.S.
Community Now Open
2023 Renewals
NWA turns 47
RON Meetup Returns to AMS Annual Meeting
Winter Weather Safety
New Code of Ethics and Privacy Policies 
Harry Otten Prize 
NWA in 2022 
Thank You Members
Upcoming Events
Jobs Corner

President's Message

As 2022 draws to a close, I wanted to thank everyone for the chance to serve as your NWA president. I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with the board and the staff at NWA headquarters to help lead the organization and steer it toward the future. I am happy at some of the things we were able to accomplish this year, including writing and approving a new 3-year strategic plan, unveiling a new way for members to connect online through the NWA Community, providing board members an opportunity for professional development in diversity, equity and inclusion, and concluding a years-long effort that formalized aspects of the CEO position according to non-profit best practice. I would also like to use this time to thank everyone who served on all the committees. From dealing with ad hoc issues to planning the annual meeting, monthly webinars, or daily social media posts, the organization couldn’t function without the service of our committee members and chairs. I appreciate all that you do!

The end of the year is also a time people think about giving. In that regard, I also wanted to take this opportunity to share a little bit of information about the NWA Foundation. I asked Foundation president Alan Gerard if he would like to share anything with members about the NWA Foundation.

The NWA Foundation was established in 2016 to develop a separate 501c3 organization to oversee the grants and scholarships that have been an important part of the association for decades.  As its 501c3 entity, the NWA foundation has certain tax advantages that we hope to leverage in the coming years to build donations and endowments to expand our scholarship and grant programs to give even more to teachers and students who are working in the sciences, and particularly meteorology and related fields.  Your tax-deductible donation goes to fund these awards which mean so much to the winners.

One grant program, the Sol Hirsch Education Fund, helps K-12 teachers improve the education of their students or communities in meteorology. I helped to review applications for this grant many years ago and can confirm there are so many teachers who would benefit. There are also numerous scholarships or other opportunities for students funded through donations. Over the years, students at Mississippi State have received scholarships from the NWA Foundation. Past scholarship recipient Haley Meier recently shared with me her appreciation. 

Receiving the NWA Arthur C. Pike Meteorology Scholarship allowed me to fund the next educational steps in my dream of becoming a broadcast meteorologist, documentary producer, and weather app creator. Specifically, this scholarship made a significant dent in my financial ability to take an elective course on Radar Meteorology which required the purchase of a costly piece of software and a much more powerful computer than my Ipad to run it. The software and the computer will be tools I can take with me throughout my early career and beyond. I am so grateful to the NWA for their commitment to students like myself in the meteorological sciences through their scholarship fund and all of the amazing resources they have for networking, professional development, and continued education.

If you would like to join me in supporting the NWA Foundation and the many opportunities it provides, you can donate online or send a donation in the mail.

I hope everyone has a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year!

A multifaceted storm system has damaged both the eastern and western United States. The NWA is saddened by the lives lost and impacted by these storms. We are thinking of our members as you continue to deal with these storms and aftermaths, and we hope you and your families are safe.

You may have stories, pictures, or information about these storms that could be included in a future NWA newsletter. If you would like these stories to be shared, please submit newsletter items directly to the NWA Newsletter Editor at [email protected] or contact the NWA office.

We are so excited to announce the official launch of the brand new NWA Community!

The NWA Community is your members-only place to find answers, share knowledge and build relationships within the association. You can build your professional network here in a variety of ways.

• Complete your profile so you are easily found by other members sharing a common expertise, interest, or goal. [Pro Tip: Be sure to add a headshot, which has been proven to drive increased engagement with items you post.]
• Add topics and share your thoughts in the discussion forum to seek the counsel of peers and hear various perspectives.
• Answer questions posed by others, sharing your knowledge and establishing yourself as an expert.
• Check the Events tab often for new events where you can engage and network in real time at both virtual and in-person events, including conferences and webinars.
• Convenient access to the latest NWA webinars and other videos
• Join groups for more focused interaction

The NWA Community is a space that will continue to grow and expand, and plans for the future are exciting! Features to be added soon include:

• NWA Member Groups: Open-access groups based on interest, which any member can join
• Gamification and badging opportunities
• Engagement with our corporate and sponsor partners

Log in to your NWA Member Portal.
Click on the "Community" tab in your main navigation menu (example shown at the top of this email).
Agree to the Terms & Conditions.
You're in!
Be sure to take the Community Tour (always located at the top left of your Community Dashboard) to orient yourself and get started.

We will be looking for you in the NWA Community! Come on over!

Renewals are now open. You should have received an email that includes your user ID and a link to the 2023 Renewal Form. 

Happy 47th Birthday to the NWA! On December 15, 1975, the NWA was incorporated in the District of Columbia. 

The first officers of the NWA were Jerry LaRue as President, Tony Tancreto as President-elect, and Joe Vazzo as Secretary/Treasurer. In March of 1976, the first military NWA officer was Vice President CDR Joseph Ford, and the first private sector NWA officer was Councilor Peter Leavett of the NE Weather Service. June 1976 saw the National Weather Digest defined, as well as the local chapter concept adopted.

By August 1976, the NWA had 644 members, even before any publications or meetings had been held. Membership quickly grew due to strong grassroots recruitment, and by January 1977, the NWA had 850 members. 

The first issue of the NWA Newsletter was published in September 1976, and the first National Weather Digest (NWD) was published in November 1976 under Editor Fran Holt. Louis Uccellini authored the first NWD article titled “Operational Diagnostic Applications of Isentropic Analysis.” 

The first Annual Meeting was held in December 1976 at Andrews AFB. The two-day event had 65 attendees and featured speakers Sol Hirsch and Fran Holt.

We are proud to celebrate the National Weather Association’s 47th birthday and all the progress that has been made in operational meteorology since its founding in 1975. Here’s to the next 47 years of successful weather forecasting, communication and service!

I have been involved in the Harry Otten Foundation for about five years. It is based in The Netherlands, and it awards a meteorology-associated monetary prize every other year. I’m working to increase the number of folks from the U.S. who enter the competition for this prize. It’s a nice opportunity for a small team or individual to be rewarded for innovative thinking. It’s open to individuals from any sector - public, private or academic. The next prize will be awarded next year, 2023.

Pam Emch

September 2023

September 9-13 NWA Annual Meeting

Have you checked out our job page recently? 

We update the job postings as they arrive, and they've been arriving more frequently.

Check out the newest job postings or submit a job posting.