National Weather Association

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The National Weather Association "Seal of Approval", given to broadcast meteorologists who meet the standards of excellence laid out by the NWA

The National Weather Association (NWA) is an American scientific organization with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities. To accomplish this, the Association's objectives are: (1) to provide a medium for all persons interested in weather, including climate, forecasting, observations, observational systems and related research and development for the publishing of letters, pamphlets, periodicals, papers, and Web pages concerning activities in said fields; (2) to provide information, publications, materials, and seminars that will promote forecasting, analysis, observations, training, and education in the meteorological disciplines.

There are dozens of local chapters of the National Weather Association. The national NWA as well as some local chapters conduct conferences on various aspects of operational meteorology (i.e. weather forecasting and presentation).

Like the American Meteorological Society, the NWA also has a Seal of Approval for broadcasters. Sealholders must pass a multiple choice test on meteorological principles and submit tapes to a panel of fellow weathercasters for review. Unlike the AMS seal, a college degree in meteorology or the physical sciences is not required, though there is a minimum experience requirement (a meteorologist must have three full years of on-air experience, or two full years of five-day-a-week forecasting, to qualify for the seal); the AMS seal only requires a nominal amount of experience (3 days, enough to produce a demo tape). Many working meteorologists have both seals.