The National Weather Service office in Lincoln operates a network of over 100 cooperative weather observers. These observers, most of whom volunteer their services, take daily observations of temperature, precipitation, or river levels. These observations are used by the local NWS forecasters, the River Forecast Centers in Minneapolis and Wilmington OH, and the media. They are also archived at the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina, and are important in studying the long-term climate of the area.

The Lincoln NWS personnel that assist with the cooperative observation program are:

Billy Ousley is the office Data Acquisition Program Manager (DAPM). His job is to oversee and guide the entire program. He also assists in establishing new stations.

Dan Smith (Lead Meteorologist) assists with the hydrological (river forecasting) aspects of the program. He works with River Forecast Centers to make sure needed river and precipitation stations are operating, and the data is of high quality.

Matt Barnes (Meteorologist Intern) quality controls the monthly observation forms, contacting observers for corrections or clarifications.

Chris Geelhart (HydroMeteorological Technician) helps maintain the database of stations, notifying various offices of changes in the program, and establishing new stations.

Dan Kelly (Meteorologist Intern) assists in quality control of the monthly observation forms, contacting observers for corrections or clarifications, and assists with station maintenance.

John Parr (HydroMeteorological Technician) maintains the equipment used by the cooperative observers. His specialty is the Fischer & Porter (F&P) rain gage network.

To visit various aspects of the program, follow the links below:

Cooperative Program Topics:
COOP Home, Latest Observations, Station Layout, Observation Techniques, Equipment, COOP Program News, National COOP Page