Fayette Metro

Kiwanis got a weather report from Lans P. Rothfusz (pronounced Lance ROTE-foos),

meteorologist In charge at the National Weather Service in Peachtree City.

The Weather

Forecast office in Peachtree City is a field office of the National Weather

Service, an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

NOAA, in turn, is a part of the United States Department of Commerce.

The local WFO

is responsible for the weather and water forecast and warning services

for 96 counties in north and central Georgia. The are 16 degreed meteorologists

in Peachtree City, several of whom have advanced degrees in the subject.

"We are

fortunate," said Rothfusz, "to be assisted by many volunteers.

During several weather, amateur radio ham operators take up position in

the WFO and communicate with NWS-trained spotters watching storms in the

field.

"Also,

a network of over 100 'cooperative observers' dutifully record weather

data each day and then send us the data. These volunteers are crucial

to the success of the Peachtree City WFO forecast and warning program,"

he added.