In 1933, the Secretary of Agriculture, Henry Wallace, with a science advisory group, told President Roosevelt that the Cooperative Program is one of the most extraordinary services ever developed, netting the public more per dollar expended than any other government service in the world. That statement is still valid today. It is estimated that their time totals over a million hours a year. Only about a third of them are paid, and the ones that do get paid receive a very small amount.
Climatological records get more valuable with time.
The climatological base generated through the efforts of the volunteer Cooperative Weather Observer provides not only the cornerstone of our nation's weather history, but also serves as the primary data for research into global climatic change. On a local level, the observations received by volunteer observers are fundamental in helping the NWS to protect life and property. Forecasts are often based on observer data, and even warnings for severe weather have been issued based on information received from a volunteer. There it is entered into a huge national database that is accessible by the public. It is white and cone-shaped, resembling a rocket.