NOAA's National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

        The Holm award is the agency’s second most prestigious, with only 19 presented this year to deserving cooperative weather observers from around the country. This award is to honor cooperative observers for outstanding accomplishments in the field of meteorological observations. It is named for John Companius Holm, a Lutheran minister, the first person known to have taken systematic weather observations in the American Colonies. Reverend Holm made observations of climate without the use of instruments in 1644 and 1645, near the present site of Wilmington, Delaware.

        Mr. King's family has a long history of ranching and observing the local weather conditions in the Lucerne area. Records show that the Kings’ family climate records were used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the 1940s and 50s. Harry’s older brother Peter King, started with the National Weather Services’ Coop program in 1961, and Harry took over on May 1, 1976. Over 11,000 volunteer cooperative observers participate in this nation wide program, providing daily temperature and precipitation data that creates the backbone of the nations’ climate program.

        During the past 27 years, Harry king has taken and recorded nearly 10,000 daily weather reports. These reports have been used extensively by the University of Wyoming’s Agriculture Extension Service, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and for many regional climate research projects.

        The NWS and the Riverton Weather Service Office congratulate Harry King on this great achievement.

        On October 29, 2003, Mr. Robert Bircher, of Cody, Wyoming, was presented the Thomas Jefferson award for over 33 years of distinguished service as a National Weather Service volunteer cooperative observer. The award was presented to Mr. Bircher by Joe Sullivan (Meteorologist in Charge), Ralph Estell (Data Acquisition Program Manager), and Jerry Bush (Cooperative Program Manager) of the National Weather Service office in Riverton, Wyoming.

        Mr. Bircher started observing in May 1970 with the Cody Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) office. After retiring in 1987, he moved the observation site to his residence, where over the past 33 years he has taken and recorded nearly 13,000 daily weather reports. Over 11,000 volunteer cooperative observers participate in this nation wide program, providing daily temperature and precipitation data that creates the backbone of the nations’ climate program. Mr. Bircher’s reports are used extensively by a number of federal and state agencies for climate research projects involving Yellowstone National Park, as well as nearby National Forests.