A Koosharem man has been honored for 40 years of service as a cooperative observer for the National Weather Service.
George S. Hatch was cited by Joe Friday, director of the National Weather Service. "The success of our climatological program is due in great measure to conscientious citizens like you," he said.
Volunteer observers add to the knowledge of the climate of the United States, essential to builders of roads, buildings and dams, Friday said. Such reports and data also are used in planning the distribution of fuel and electricity, for supporting insurance claims and in the planning of government projects for flood control and atmospheric pollution studies.
Cooperative weather observers record weather observations daily. There are 11,500 of them throughout the United States, but most don't serve for the length of time that Hatch has done in Koosharem.