Celebrate National Weatherperson’s Day Feb. 5 with your favorite weather anchor

Feb. 5 is National Weatherperson’s Day. In memory of Steve Pool — one of the Seattle market’s most popular weather anchors who passed away last fall — it’s important to use this day to honor Pool and those before him while celebrating all the men and women who collectively provide Americans with the best weather, water and climate forecast and warning services in the world.

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National Weatherperson’s Day honors the birth of one of America’s first weather observers, John Jeffries in 1744. He began taking daily weather observations in Boston in 1774 and took the first weather balloon observation in 1784.

Today, you can get a weather forecast on TV, on the radio, online or through a smartphone app. Behind those forecasts are dedicated meteorologists and weathercasters helping you plan your day and issuing warnings to help keep you safe.

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Your weather forecast information starts with National Weather Service meteorologists working around the clock. They use weather data and forecast guidance to issue public weather, river, marine and aviation forecasts, climatic data used by engineers, utilities, researchers and more, forecasts to help firefighters control wildfires and emergency management officials to address all kinds of hazards.

Others involved in the nation’s weather establishment include 9,000 volunteer cooperative observers who measure daily temperature and precipitation, 400,000 volunteer Skywarn weather spotters, thousands of volunteer amateur radio operators, and citizen observers in the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network.

TV weather anchors are the most visible members of America’s weather team. Commercial weather companies provide tailor-made forecast information for clients. They all use National Weather Service data to share forecast and warning information on TV, radio, the web and through mobile apps.

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And finally, researchers develop ways to further enhance forecast and warning accuracy. So, on Feb. 5, National Weatherperson’s Day, offer appreciation to your local weather authorities.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter