Introduction

The National Weather Service (NWS) has played a key role in protecting American lives and properties for over a century. The timely provision of reliable weather, water, climate, and environmental information has supported the Nation's social and economic development. NWS offices in communities across the United States and its territories, supported by regional and national centers, provide the authoritative information needed by Americans, including national, regional, state, tribal, and local authorities, to plan, prepare, mitigate, and respond to natural and human-caused events.

The NWS is part of the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency with a diverse mission to understand and communicate changing conditions in the weather, climate, oceans, and coasts and use that understanding to manage natural resources, including managing the Nation's fisheries and supporting healthy coastal habitats and species.  NWS expertise in weather, water, and climate prediction, contributes to NOAA-wide initiatives such as air and water quality forecasts and ecological prediction and monitoring. NOAA's commitment to science, service, and stewardship informs society to respond and adapt to environmental conditions within a changing and uncertain world.

As the world has changed, so too has the NWS, advancing our scientific and technical capabilities to better meet the needs of Americans. During the 1980s and 1990s, NWS deployed state-of-the-art observing and computing systems, improved modeling capabilities, re-aligned the organization to better deliver services, and made substantial investments in training and recruitment. The result was an organization with a greater capacity to provide timely information to save lives and avert disaster.

Today our science and services continue to evolve and improve to meet emerging needs. For example, NWS forecasters are working closer than ever with emergency responders to prepare for and avoid the impacts of natural and human-caused events. Space weather prediction and warnings are helping protect our Nation's infrastructure, and climate outlooks are contributing to the management of the Nation's water resources, energy supply and food security. We are also responding to the changing ways people communicate, network, and share information, and we are using new technologies to make information more accessible and interoperable.

Over the next ten years, weather, water, climate, and environmental information will play a greater role in the significant decisions we make as individuals and as a society - from the quantity and quality of water we need and the quality of the air we breathe, to the generation and distribution of renewable energy, the safe passage of our country's highways, railways, seas, and airways - making everyday life safer, healthier, and more productive.

The timeline below encapsulates the evolution of NWS from its inception to the future, including the significant events and advancements that have shaped or will influence our services to the country.