FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Throughout the year, Washington experiences from sunshine to rainfall to freezing winter making it important to check the weather before supporting any mission.

At Fairchild, the 92nd Operations Support Squadron weather flight is the base's eyes forward, using satellite imagery, real-time radar and other tools needed to predict the weather. Ensuring safe weather conditions is one of the first steps before accomplishing any refueling or rescue missions.

"We are here to provide weather intelligence to military planners," said Senior Master Sgt. Terry Prime, the 92nd OSS weather flight superintendent. "We not only advise pilots before their mission, but we also take calls from planners involving other activities such as group workouts, hiking or any outdoor sports."

With the help of Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay and other tools, the weather flight is able to pass on information to the commander and the whole base regarding the safety in doing a mission when it comes to weather conditions.

"We brief each squadron every week during the wing stand up to relay the information needed for the safety of the mission," Prime said. "We also support the U.S. Army National Guard and the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape school on base. We provide briefings before every refueling, rescue or training missions."

According to Timothy Scheidt, a 92nd OSS weather flight weather forecaster, each season has its challenging times and the weather flight is the busiest in November through April when Washington experiences different types of weather such as fog, freezing rain and snow.

"It can get crazy in the winter," Scheidt said. "The weather that causes many cancellations in our mission is fog. It's too dangerous to fly or drive when there's fog everywhere because it limits how far we can see clearly."

According to Prime, it's rewarding to know the impact weather forecasting has in day-to-day operations.

Having a job that helps make every mission possible gratifying for Senior Airman Howard Spitzenberger, 92nd OSS weather forecaster.

"Opportunities I've gotten here have been greatly beneficial," Spitzenberger said. "I get to see the detailed part of how weather works and learn new, little things I have been curious about ever since I was little. Also, knowing I get to help keep Airmen safe when executing a mission is satisfying."