2011 was the second costliest year for weather events with 14 disasters resulting in more than $1 billion in damages. Although there were numerous fatalities, many lives were saved as a result of better forecasts that were fed by higher quality data from observing systems on orbit, in the air column and on the ground. The bottom line is that accurate weather data saves lives and protects property.

As new weather data models emerge, however, the issue of who pays for weather observations is becoming a growing topic of debate. Keep reading →