Earlier this week, I posted
part one of this blog entry that originally ran on
Whatever-Weather.com about the importance of Skywarn spotters. Tonight, I’d like to expand just a little on how to get involved with Skywarn in the Triangle area.
In Raleigh, the local National Weather Service office has a page on its website devoted to
Skywarn, like most offices around the country. The training is done by NWS employees, and information on how set up a Skywarn class can be found on that page. There is also a current schedule posted as well as links to downloadable presentations.
A very exciting event is taking place at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences this Saturday (April 10
th), which includes to Skywarn Training sessions. It’s the first annual StormFest. You can find more information on the day-long event
here.
If you have an interest in severe weather and have the time and energy to offer, volunteering as a Skywarn spotter is a great way to give back to the community. It only takes a small amount of time, but it makes a huge impact during a severe weather outbreak. Getting important information about a storm directly to the NWS in real time helps forecasters to make decisions about which storm to warn on and when to issue the warnings. A storm that is on the borderline of being severe might not have a warning issued for it unless a trained spotter calls in one inch hail or a funnel cloud. The radar can’t always see what the spotters on the ground can see. That means in some cases, spotters really can be the difference in saving lives and protecting property. Plus, spotter reports communicated to the public through live broadcasts over radio and television airwaves aid in convincing the public to take the warnings seriously.
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