The SKYWARN program is a network of volunteers trained by the National Weather Service (NWS) to report significant weather. The NWS's mission is to protect lives and property. During times of severe weather, Skywarn volunteers become the eyes and ears of the NWS and the local Emergency Management Office, helping to provide better warning services. Radar may be showing what is going on within the storm but it can't see what is actually happening on the ground. Reports are radioed in to the local National Weather Service office and are passed on to the meteorologists. SKYWARN participants are Amateur Radio operators who volunteer their time to go out and 'spot'. The Ft.Worth/Dallas area is fortunate to have not only a National Weather Service office, but a large, well-trained group of spotters. SKYWARN 'nets' are run by a 'net controller' who handles all radio traffic and is the liason between the spotters in the field and the hams manning the radios at the NWS. You must be a member of RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services) before you can check in to a SKYWARN net. Some areas allow members of another RACES group to check in, i.e. Tarrant County will allow members of Dallas County RACES (or other counties) to check in to a SKYWARN net. Other areas don't allow this, i.e. Dallas County. Of course, if there is an immediate threat to life or property, then anyone may check in. Obviously you must have a valid Amateur Radio operators license of the appropriate class before you can even transmit!!

One question that will be debated until the end of time: Are chasers and spotters one in the same? I say Yes and No. Spotters tend to stay in their own areas while chasers may drive several hundred miles to get to where the action is. Not all chasers are hams. But both groups are interested in severe weather. If you are planning on becoming a SKYWARN member, I strongly suggest you learn as much about severe weather as you can. This will not only help you to make better reports, it could also help keep you out of danger!

Below I have listed some links to various pages that contain a wealth of information for those interested in spotting/chasing. I strongly encourage you to read the discussions concerning chaser safety as they apply to spotters as well.

 

 

Before you venture out on your own, please read the following articles.

"Chase Safety" by Chuck Doswell

"Some Thoughts On Storm Chasing" by Chuck Doswell

"Chaser Ethics" by Alan Moller

"Irresponsible Media Storm Chase Practices" by Chuck Doswell and Roger Edwards

"The Innocent Victim" by Jon Davies

 

 

 

 

A spotter's guide can be found here

Be sure to stop by the Storm Chaser Homepage. There is a wealth of information to be found there that will benefit both veteran and new chasers/spotters.

If you are going to take shelter from an approaching storm, make sure you go to The Storm Cellar, owned by Sam Barricklow, K5KJ. Good information, great links and some fantastic photos.

Don't forget to check out StormTrack Online--The Storm Chaser Magazine Always a good source of information.

I am proud to be a member of the Texas Severe Storms Association (TESSA), an international organization made up of scientists, chasers, ordinary people and those who are simply interested in severe weather. Click on the TESSA logo to find out more about us.

 

 

My friend Russ Stringfield, KB5SCM, has a page with some good SKYWARN/spotting/chaser/Amateur Radio info.

Bobby Eddins, N5OLO, also has a great page full of pics, excellent links and a Current Conditions page that is chock full of up to the minute weather data.

Ed Cohen, N5PQR, has some nice storm pics.

For a list of spotter frequencies in Texas and other places, click here . I make no guarantees as to the accuracy of this list.

Here in the Metroplex, the following frequencies are used for SKYWARN nets: (note that this was accurate at the time I first posted this, back in late summer 1998. Some frequencies may have changed)

146.940--Ft.Worth PL 110.9

146.880--Dallas

146.920--Denton PL 110.9

145.490--Cleburne (Johnson Co.) PL 88.5

145.410--Waxahachie (Ellis Co.)

147.040--Weatherford (Parker Co.) PL 110.9

146.900--Mineral Wells (Palo Pinto Co.) PL 110.9

147.180--Collin Co.

Please remember that you must be a member of RACES before you can check into a SKYWARN net unless there is an immediate threat to life or property (i.e a tornado on the ground that hasn't been reported yet).



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Last updated on 29 Dec 98

©1998, Cliff Mullican, KC5AEA