National Weather Observers Day Date in the current year: May 4, 2026

People have observed weather since the earliest stages of human civilization. Early observers relied on visible cues, such as the color of the sky, cloud formations, animal behavior, and seasonal patterns, to make simple predictions. In ancient civilizations, the study of weather became more systematic as scholars began recording observations and attempting to explain recurring patterns. During the Middle Ages, monasteries in Europe played a central role in maintaining continuous, structured weather records.

A significant shift occurred during the Renaissance with the introduction of instruments for quantitative measurement, including the barometer for atmospheric pressure and the thermoscope, an early precursor to the thermometer, for detecting temperature changes. Modern meteorology began to take shape in the early 19th century when the electric telegraph enabled the near-real-time sharing of weather observations across large regions, making coordinated forecasting possible.

Modern weather agencies, such as the United States’ National Weather Service (NWS), rely on an extensive network of surface, marine, and upper-air observation stations to measure, record, and transmit meteorological information for analysis and forecasting. However, they also use data from volunteer weather observers to supplement their information and improve their forecasts and severe weather warnings.

The NWS has several networks of people who help observe and report weather conditions.

• The Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) has over 8,000 volunteers nationwide who report a variety of weather conditions at least daily.
• Skywarn® has over 300,000 volunteers who report localized severe weather (storm spotters).
• The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), which is a network of volunteers in the U.S., Canada, and the Bahamas who report daily precipitation readings.

The general public can submit weather observations to the NWS using the free mobile app Meteorological Phenomena Identification Near the Ground (mPING), which allows users to report weather conditions such as precipitation type and character, surface conditions, severe weather indicators, visibility, and more.

National Weather Observers Day was founded in 1989 by Alan Bruce, who was a psychology major at the State University of New York at the time. Although the holiday has not been officially proclaimed nationwide, it is recognized and promoted by the NWS. You can celebrate by learning more about weather observation and perhaps picking up this amazing hobby.

National Weather Observers Day is not the only holiday for people who enjoy observing the weather. Another is Observe the Weather Day, celebrated annually on January 25. There’s also Skywarn® Recognition Day, which is celebrated on the first Saturday in December to honor volunteers who help the NWS track severe weather.