Subj : What is SKYWARN
To : All
From : Black Panther
Date : Mon Nov 28 2016 04:46 pm
What is SKYWARNr?
The effects of severe weather are felt every year by many Americans. To obtain
critical weather information, NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS), part of
the U.S. Department of Commerce, established SKYWARNr with partner
organizations. SKYWARNr is a volunteer program with between 350,000 and 400,000
trained severe weather spotters. These volunteers help keep their local
communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to
the National Weather Service.
Although SKYWARNr spotters provide essential information for all types of
weather hazards, the main responsibility of a SKYWARNr spotter is to identify
and describe severe local storms. In the average year, 10,000 severe
thunderstorms, 5,000 floods and more than 1,000 tornadoes occur across the
United States. These events threatened lives and property.
Since the program started in the 1970s, the information provided by SKYWARNr
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 and flash floods.
SKYWARNr storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the Nation's
first line of defense against severe weather. There can be no finer reward than
to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of
time--seconds and minutes that can help save lives.
Who is Eligible?
NWS encourages anyone with an interest in public service and access to
communication, such HAM radio, to join the SKYWARNr 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.
How Can I Get Involved?
NWS has 122 local Weather Forecast Offices, each with a Warning Coordination
Meteorologist, who is responsible for administering the SKYWARNr program in
their local area. Find a class in your area: 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
Dan Richter
aka Black Panther
Sysop
Castle Rock BBS
Rio Rancho, NM
Alas! The poor Tagline. I knew it well.
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