The new "Cloudscapes" stamps are unveiled at the official ceremony held by the U.S. Postal Service at a Boston, MA, event on October 4, 2004, to begin National Stamp Collecting Month. Among the participants in the first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony at the historic Blue Hill Observatory (bluehill.org) in Milton, MA, were Brig. Gen. D.L. Johnson, USAF (Ret.), NWS Director, Jim Cantore (left), and Nick Walker of The Weather Channel.

From left, Wichita, KS, Postmaster William Talbott, along with Chance Hayes and Dick Elder of the Wichita, KS, Weather Forecast Office, unveil the Cloudscape Stamps at a ceremony in Wichita.

More than 30 fifth grade students from Allisonville Elementary School in Indianapolis, IN, participated with Indianapolis Weather Forecast Office (WFO), the U.S. Postal Service, and the Federal Aviation Administration in a special local unveiling of Cloudscape stamps on October 8, 2004. As part of the unveiling ceremony each student released a weather balloon package with two balloons connected to a package containing a self-addressed postcard requesting its return. Since the Post Office branch where the unveiling/release took place was next to the airport, two air traffic controllers were onsite to coordinate the release. A student requested clearance to release the balloons over a radio. The control tower moved landing aircraft to a runway on the other side of the airport to avoid the balloons. Meteorologist-In-Charge John Ogren, Warning and Coordination Meteorologist Dave Tucek, and Lead Forecaster Steve Haines represented the NWS at the event. Photo by Steve Haines.

Take a look at other NWS news, as submitted for the NOAA Weekly Report.