It is estimated that the Cooperative Weather Observers donate their time to the tune of over a million hours a year, netting the public more per dollar expended than any other government service in the world. Their data become more valuable with time. Their data form the cornerstone of the Nation's climatological history. Cooperative Weather Observers come from all walks of life. Farmers, teachers, lawyers, doctors, housewives, and retirees are all among those individuals contributing to the program.
Individual observers are usually long-time local residents of the area.
This provides longevity and continuity of data. In addition to private citizens, many local, state, and federal government offices actively participate in the program. Power plants, water and pollution control plants, schools and universities, and members of the media also provide Cooperative Weather observations. Observers are recruited in predetermined locations to fill a specific data need. The NWS provides the instruments, frequent visits, equipment maintenance and observer training to all Cooperative Weather Observers.