The INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS, Inc.

Eastern Idaho Section

TOPIC: Tour of Pocatello National Weather Service facility

Please join us for a tour of this state of the art facility.

Pocatello Weather Forecast Office History

The National Weather Service arrived in Eastern Idaho in 1895, with its first home in Idaho Falls and the main forecast office located in Portland, Oregon. However, due to telegraph communication problems, the office was moved to Pocatello on July 1, 1899.

The office was first located next to the railroad on Railroad Street in downtown Pocatello. In 1901, the office moved 2,500 feet west to the Cook block. In 1916, the office relocated to the Federal Post Office at Lewis and Arthur Streets. Military operations and a new airport encouraged the next move to McDougal Field in 1938. During 1949, another move took the office 2.5 miles west to the Pocatello Municipal Airport, where it has resided ever since. Forecasts were initially issued from the Boise Weather Service Forecast Office for the entire state for many years. However, on March 22, 1995, the NWS moved into a modernized forecast office in preparation for assuming full forecast and warning responsibility for Eastern Idaho in 1999.

National Weather Service Today

The primary responsibility of the National Weather Service is to issue and disseminate warnings of hazardous weather and water conditions to protect life and property and the enhancement of the national economy.

To do this meteorologists and hydrologists analyze weather data gathered by satellites, Doppler radar, electronic sensor observation platforms and other means to prepare a variety of hydrometeorological forecasts for the public and other interests, including the aviation and marine communities. The public and industry use many weather products that are available via newspapers, radio and television, telephone recordings, NOAA Weather Radio, Internet and special publications. The NWS operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with a total 122 forecast offices and several national centers.

DATE: Friday 8 December 2006

TIME: 12:30 PM

PLACE: National Weather Service

Weather Forecast Office

1945 Beechcraft Ave.

Pocatello, ID 83204

(Located at the Pocatello Regional Airport west of the main terminal building – across the parking lot )