The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge was recognized by the National Weather Service for 100 continuous years of service as an official Cooperative Weather Institution. This award is the first 100-year Institution Award given in the history of the Norman National Weather Service Forecast Office. The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge station is part of a national network of nearly 11,000 cooperative weather observers. The temperature and precipitation data from the Cooperative Program is the official source for climatological data nationwide.