JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Training through the National Weather Service Office in Jacksonville is offered for storm spotters. The Skywarn™ spotter program is a nationwide network of volunteers trained by the National Weather Service (NWS) to report significant weather. Anyone is welcome to participate.
According to the SKYWARN website, the United States is the most severe weather-prone country in the world. Each year, people in this country cope with an average of 10,000 thunderstorms, 5,000 floods, 1,200 tornadoes, and two landfalling hurricanes. Approximately 90% of all presidentially declared disasters are weather-related, causing around 500 deaths each year and nearly $14 billion in damage.
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SKYWARN® is a National Weather Service (NWS) program developed in the 1960s that consists of trained weather spotters who provide reports of severe and hazardous weather to help meteorologists make life-saving warning decisions. Spotters are concerned citizens, amateur radio operators, truck drivers, mariners, airplane pilots, emergency management personnel, and public safety officials who volunteer their time and energy to report on hazardous weather impacting their community.
Although, NWS has access to data from Doppler radar, satellite, and surface weather stations, technology cannot detect every instance of hazardous weather. Spotters help fill in the gaps by reporting hail, wind damage, flooding, heavy snow, tornadoes and waterspouts. Radar is an excellent tool, but it is just that: one tool among many that NWS uses. We need spotters to report how storms and other hydrometeorological phenomena are impacting their area.
SKYWARN® spotter reports provide vital “ground truth” to the NWS. They act as our eyes and ears in the field. Spotter reports help our meteorologists issue timely, accurate, and detailed warnings by confirming hazardous weather detected by NWS radar. Spotters also provide critical verification information that helps improve future warning services. SKYWARN® Spotters serve their local communities by acting as a vital source of information when dangerous storms approach. Without spotters, NWS would be less able to fulfill its mission of protecting life and property.
The NWS's mission is to protect lives and property. When weather conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms or tornadoes are expected to develop, a severe thunderstorm or tornado WATCH is issued. A Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado WARNING is issued when severe weather has been reported by a Skywarn™ spotter or indicated by Doppler radar. Skywarn™ volunteers become the NWS's eyes and ears, helping to provide better weather watch and warning services.
The NWS and/or the local emergency management authorities may activate the Skywarn™ net whenever there is a threat of severe weather or the NWS issues a severe thunderstorm or tornado watch. In this case, information may be relayed through amateur radio repeaters. Localized events may be phoned directory to the NWS and/or local emergency management.
Skywarn™ reports are relayed from on the road, while at work, or at your home. It is important not to jeopardize your own safety while participating in Skywarn™.
Training is free and typically last about 2 hours. You’ll learn:
- Basics of thunderstorm development
- Fundamentals of storm structure
- Identifying potential severe weather features
- Information to report
- How to report information
- Basic severe weather safety
Here are the upcoming SKYWARN Storm Spotter training sessions locally:
Flagler County
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018 from 6-8 pm
Flagler County Emergency Services
1769 E Moody Blvd # 3, Bunnell, FL 32110
Putnam County
Friday, Feb. 2, 2018 from 6-8 pm
Putnam County Emergency Operations Center
410 South State Road 19, Palatka, FL 32177
Clay County
Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 from 6-8 pm
Clay County Emergency Management
2519 State Road 16 West
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
Jeff Davis County
Monday, Mar 5, 2018 from 7-9pm
Jeff Davis County Fire Headquarters
31 Pat Dixon Rd, Hazlehurst, GA 31539
Nassau County
Wednesday, Mar 7, 2018 from 6-8pm
Nassau County Emergency Operations Center
77150 Citizen's Circle, Yulee, FL
Ware County
Tuesday, Apr 3, 2018 from 6-8pm
Ware County Emergency Management Agency
3395 Harris Rd, Waycross, GA 31503
Nassau County
Thursday, Apr 12, 2018 from 6-8pm
Nassau County Emergency Operations Center
77150 Citizen's Circle, Yulee, FL
Marion County
Friday, Apr 27, 2018 from 6-8pm
Marion County Emergency Operations Center
692 NW 30th Ave, Ocala, FL 34475