Welcome to the National Weather Service Western Region

The Western Region covers the states of Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. 24 Weather Forecast Offices, 3 River Forecast Centers, and 4 Center Weather Service Units are scattered across these states to provide weather and river forecasts and warnings to the emergency management community, media, and public, and aviation weather services to air traffic control centers.

The West offers unique challenges to our forecasters. It is a land of extremes: topography ranges from the high mountain ranges of the Rocky mountains to below sea level in Death Valley, California; yearly rainfall can range from over 100 inches in the Olympics of Washington, to less than 4 inches in the desert southwest. Although sparsely populated in many areas, the West attracts millions of tourists from around the world every year. Weather can be life threatening in these areas. Flash floods, severe winter storms, severe thunderstorms, and freezing rain are common in the west. Our mission is to save lives and property by giving as much advanced noticed as our technology and skill will allow so people can take measures to protect themselves and their property from the elements.

Western Region Headquarters, located in Salt Lake City, UT, offers support and oversight to our offices across the West to allow them to carry out their mission. A few of the functions of the regional headquarters include: providing scientific support and development, management of the different programs to ensure quality and provide direction, providing field support in implementing new programs and policies, providing budget support, recruitment of new employees, and providing employee assistance.

........

Robert Tibi
Acting Western Region Director