national weather service
MidFormal, Technical, Everyday (in weather-related contexts)
Definition
Meaning
The United States federal agency responsible for providing weather forecasts, warnings, and meteorological data to the public.
A specific governmental meteorological organization in the U.S., often referenced generically as the official source for weather information, warnings (e.g., tornado, flood), and climate data. It is a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
It is a proper noun referring to a specific U.S. institution. While 'weather service' can be generic, 'National Weather Service' is a defined entity. Often abbreviated as NWS.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The 'National Weather Service' is a U.S.-specific institution. The UK's equivalent is the Met Office (Met Éireann for Ireland). In British English, 'the Met Office' or 'the Met' is used where Americans would say 'the National Weather Service' or 'the NWS'.
Connotations
In the U.S., it connotes official, authoritative forecasts and storm warnings. In the UK, 'National Weather Service' would be recognized as the American agency.
Frequency
High frequency in American English, especially in weather reports. Very low frequency in British English outside of discussions about U.S. systems.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The National Weather Service + VERB (e.g., issues, warns, forecasts, reports, confirms)According to the National Weather ServiceA warning from the National Weather ServiceVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “N/A”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Consulting National Weather Service advisories for supply chain and outdoor work planning.
Academic
Used in geography, environmental science, and meteorology papers when citing U.S. data sources.
Everyday
Checking the National Weather Service forecast before planning a picnic or trip.
Technical
Analyzing raw upper-air soundings or Doppler radar data from the National Weather Service.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The Met Office is warning of heavy rain.
American English
- The National Weather Service is warning of heavy snow.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The Met Office forecast was accurate.
American English
- The National Weather Service forecast was accurate.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The National Weather Service says it will be sunny tomorrow.
- Look at the National Weather Service map.
- According to the National Weather Service, a storm is coming this weekend.
- You can find weather warnings on the National Weather Service website.
- The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for several counties.
- Meteorologists at the National Weather Service analyzed the satellite data before updating the forecast.
- Despite the National Weather Service's flood advisory, many residents chose not to evacuate the low-lying areas.
- The study cross-referenced historical drought data from the National Weather Service with agricultural yield reports.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'Nation's Weather Watchdog' – National (for the country), Weather (what they predict), Service (what they provide).
Conceptual Metaphor
The National Weather Service is a GUARDIAN / SENTINEL (it issues warnings to protect the public).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate word-for-word as 'Национальная погодная служба'. It is a specific entity. Use 'Национальная метеорологическая служба (США)' or 'американская Национальная служба погоды' with explanation.
- Confusing it with 'гидрометцентр' (Hydrometeorological Centre), which is a Russian-specific term.
Common Mistakes
- Using lowercase ('national weather service') when referring to the specific U.S. agency.
- Using 'the' incorrectly (e.g., 'I work for National Weather Service' instead of 'I work for the National Weather Service').
- Confusing it with 'The Weather Channel', which is a private media company.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary role of the U.S. National Weather Service?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The National Weather Service (NWS) is a U.S. government agency. The Weather Channel is a private television network and website that uses NWS data, among other sources.
NWS stands for National Weather Service, the official weather agency of the United States.
Yes, the NWS hires meteorologists, hydrologists, and IT specialists. Positions are typically listed on USAJobs.gov as it is a federal agency.
In American English, it's pronounced /ˌnæʃ.(ə)n.əl ˈweð.ɚ ˌsɝː.vɪs/. The 't' in 'national' can sound like a soft 'd', and the 'th' in 'weather' is voiced like in 'the'.