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         U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
                                                        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
                                                        NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
                                                        Silver Spring, Md. 20910

Sections 3 through 5 have been revised to give more specific guidelines on NWS support to private sector meteorology, services to business and industry, referrals, and resolution of problems. Reference to corresponding NOAA Directives Manual issuances have been added as Section 7.

Issue Date Org. Code NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE Part Chap.
12-20-78 W112 Operations Manual A 55

1. Purpose. This chapter documents the National Weather Service (NWS) policy of encouraging and supporting the growth of the qualified private sector of meteorology and climatology in a manner consistent with the mission and responsibilities of NWS.

a. NWS provides climatological, hydrological, and meteorological information, forecasts, and warnings for the public and for broad homogeneous segments of industry. NWS is charged by law to serve the aviation, marine, and agriculture industries.

b. Private sector meteorologists serve specific business and individuals who depend upon specialized meteorological advice which cannot be satisfied by authorized Government products or dissemination methods.

c. NWS will provide support as indicated in sections 3 and 4 below to non-Government meteorologists whenever such support can be given within available resources, without partiality, and without compromise of its mission or of regulations concerning release of information. NWS supports the concept of private sector meteorology which is responsible, competent and service-oriented.

3. Support to Private Sector Meteorologists. Private sector meteorologists recognize their need for governmental weather data, communications, and processing facilities. Within the bounds of existing legislation, NWS products will be made equally available to any private meteorologist at no extra cost to NWS. If charges are required for any of this material they will be assessed on a uniform basis. While the private sector's reliance on NWS products is acknowledged, access to available data, on an equitable basis, must be under conditions that do not interfere with efficient operation of NWS offices or performance of its mission.

NWS meteorologists will cooperate with private meteorologists to the extent that there is no interference with the normal performance of NWS duties. Impartial treatment is essential and care must be taken to see that NWS does not incur additional expense solely for private benefit. Questions about the propriety of specific cooperative activities should be referred, through regional headquarters, to the Director of NWS.

4. Meteorological Services to Business and Industry. NWS products regularly prepared for the general public are, of course, available to business and industry. In cases where the general welfare is served, products are routinely prepared for specific industries, e.g., aviation, agriculture and forestry, marine, as well as for air pollution control programs.

4.1 Specialized Services. NWS will not provide specialized services for business and industry when the services are currently offered by or can be offered by a commercial enterprise. Specialized services which can only be offered by NWS and for which no commercial capability exists, can be provided to business and industry only if appropriate charges are assessed in accordance with NOAA Finance Handbook, chapter 9. Services which are regularly part of the NWS mission are not affected by the above conditions.

4.2 Referrals. When NWS employees are asked to provide special meteorological services or products which cannot be provided in accordance with section 4.1, they should refer the requester to the American Meteorological Society, National Weather Association, National Council of Industrial Meteorologists, or other professional meteorological organizations. The advantages of using a Certified Consulting Meteorologist or similarly qualified individual may be pointed out. In unusual circumstances the requester may be referred, through proper channels, to NOAA's Special Assistant for Industrial Meteorology. These referral procedures will avoid any recommendation of a specific private meteorologist.

5. Resolution of Problems. Admittedly, these guidelines cannot cover all possibilities. Close coordination and cooperation are essential to ensure that the public receives the best possible weather service. Regional and local officials should arrange occasional meetings with non-Government meteorologists to promote an exchange of ideas that will be mutually beneficial. Local chapters of national meteorological organizations provide an excellent means for exchange of information and opportunities for discussion between Federal and private meteorologists.

Misunderstanding may be more likely to occur where private meteorologists serve mass news media outlets. Proper NWS contacts with these private meteorologists can greatly enhance our service to the public. NWS relies heavily on the mass news media to distribute its public weather products. There is nothing to prevent the media from using alternate information so long as it is not attributed to the Government (see Section 18 U.S.C. 2074 which states that whoever knowingly issues or publishes any counterfeit weather forecast or warning of weather conditions falsely representing such forecast or warning to have been issued or published by the National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce, or other branch of the Government service, shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than 90 days). NWS encourages the media to attribute weather information to the proper source.

If a significant problem arises in any area concerning private meteorology, the first step should be discussion between the Meteorologist in Charge (MIC) of the Weather Service Forecast Office (WSFO) responsible for the area affected and the private meteorologist concerned. Ethical behavior requires both parties to avoid public controversy. If this approach does not solve the problem, the MIC should request help from the regional headquarters, usually the Executive Officer. The matter should be referred to NWS Headquarters if it cannot be resolved at the regional level.

6. National Headquarters Liaison. The Special Assistant for Industrial Meteorology, NOAA Headquarters, provides liaison between NOAA and private sector meteorology. Correspondence originating within the NWS on matters relative to private sector relationships will be routed to the Special Assistant's office through the Director of NWS. NOAA will provide the Director of NWS with copies of correspondence relating to private sector meteorology as well as routine reports by the Special Assistant for Industrial Meteorology.

7. Related NOAA Policies. NOAA Policy on Industrial Meteorology (NOAA Directives Manual 27-11) and NOAA Policy on Radio-TV Dissemination (NOAA Directives Manual 27-13) are additional sources of information on topics covered in this chapter.