SKYWARN Volunteers Needed
Spotting an impending storm is more complicated than just watching the sky, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service are hoping to train volunteers in St. Mary’s County to hone this skill.
Prospective storm spotters can attend a SKYWARN class, hosted by the St Mary’s County Department of Emergency Services & Technology, on Oct. 22, 2015. The class will be held from 6 to 9 pm at the Charlotte Hall Library, 37600 New Market Road in Charlotte Hall, Md.
Severe weather affects Americans every year. NOAA and the NWS established SKYWARN to gather volunteers who help their communities by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the NWS.
SKYWARN spotters provide essential information for all types of weather hazards, including severe thunderstorms, flash floods, tornados and severe winter storms. In an average year, 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 5,000 floods and more than 1,000 tornadoes occur across the United States. These events threaten lives and property. Since the program began in the 1970s, information provided by SKYWARN spotters, coupled with Doppler radar technology, improved satellite and other data has enabled NWS to issue more timely and accurate warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, flash floods and winter storms.
NWS and the St Mary’s County Department of Emergency Services & Technology encourage anyone with an interest in public service and access to communication, such as HAM radio, to join the SKYWARN program. Volunteers include police and fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS workers, public utility workers and other concerned private citizens. Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches, nursing homes or who have a responsibility for protecting others are also encouraged to become a spotter.
The free class takes about two hours and includes the following curriculum:
- Basics of thunderstorm development
- Fundamentals of storm structure
- Identifying potential severe weather features
- Information to report
- How to report information
- Basic severe weather safety
To register for the SKYWARN Basic I class go to the SKYWARN website.
For more information, please call 301-475-4200, ext. 2124.
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