SKYWARN is a concept developed in the early 1970s that was intended to promote a cooperative effort between the National Weather Service and communities. The emphasis of the effort is often focused on the storm spotter, an individual who takes a position near their community and reports wind gusts, hail size, rainfall, and cloud formations that could signal a developing tornado. Another part of SKYWARN is the receipt and effective distribution of National Weather Service information.
The organization of spotters and the distribution of warning information may lies with the National Weather Service or with an emergency management agency within the community. This agency could be a police or fire department, or often is an emergency management/service group (what people might still think of as civil defense groups). This varies across the country however, with local national weather service offices taking the lead in some locations, while emergency management takes the lead in other areas.
SKYWARN is not a club or organization, however, in some areas where Emergency Management programs do not perform the function, people have organized SKYWARN groups that work independent of a parent government agency and feed valuable information to the National Weather Service. While this provides the radar meteorologist with much needed input, the circuit is not complete if the information does not reach those who can activate sirens or local broadcast systems.
SKYWARN spotters are not by definition "Storm Chasers". While their functions and methods are similar, the spotter stays close to home and usually has ties to a local agency. Storm chasers often cover hundreds of miles a day. The term Storm Chaser covers a wide variety of people. Some are meteorologists doing specific research or are gathering basic information (like video) for training and comparison to radar data. Others chase storms to provide live information for the media, and others simply do it for the thrill.
The SkyWarn information page at the NWS Jackson, MS website says this:
"Skywarn is a voluntary program developed by the National Weather Service to improve the warning program. SKYWARN volunteers serve as storm spotters for the National Weather Service and the local emergency management program. Keeping their eyes on the sky, volunteers serve as the eyes and ears for the whole community. SKYWARN volunteers come from all walks of life but they all have generally two things in common - an interest in the weather and an interest in serving their community.
"SKYWARN is a rather loosely knit organization. Training in severe storm identification comes from the National Weather Service. Often, another organization such as emergency management, law enforcement, fire departments or rescue squads, or amateur radio groups is the backbone of the SKYWARN effort in a particular community.
"These spotters use telephones and amateur radio to provide severe weather reports directly to the National Weather Service office and other county officials. This information is then used in severe weather warnings and statements, which helps save lives and property.
"Skywarn was developed in the early 1970s. Over the years, thousands of law enforcement personnel, amateur radio operators, red cross volunteers, and other civic club members have joined forces with the National Weather Service to enhance the severe weather warning program.
"Trained Skywarn spotters provide the National Weather Service with accurate and timely reports from either fixed or mobile locations. Reports such as flash flooding, hail, damaging winds, funnels, and tornadoes can mean the difference between saving lives or losing them. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer spotter for your county, contact your local emergency management coordinator for more information or Jim Butch at the National Weather Service Office.
"Why Skywarn?
"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 NWSs and local Emergency Managements eyes and ears, helping to provide better weather watch and warning services.
"Who will activate Skywarn?
"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 directly to the NWS and/or local emergency management. Where will Skywarn Observations be taken?
"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.
"Skywarn and Amateur Radio Operators
"HAM radio operators have a special place in the Skywarn program. NWS offices have HAM equipment on site. Skywarn nets run by the volunteer amateur radio net control operators allow for reports to be directly heard at National Weather Service offices."
It also states that the "National Weather Service trains spotter groups. However, spotter group organization is left to the local Emergency Management Director, or the Police or Fire Department. If you are interested in becoming a spotter, first check with these agencies to determine who serves as spotters in your area. If a local Amateur Radio or CB Radio group provides spotter support in your community, becoming an active member of that organization is your best route to becoming a storm spotter.
"Many people who are fascinated by the weather have an interest in serving as a storm spotter. The National Weather Service needs real time reports of hail size, wind speed, and tornado development and known damage, in order to effectively warn the public. Even as new technology allows the Weather Service to issue warnings with more lead time, spotters will always serve as links between radar indications of severe weather and ground truth information.
"Virtually every community has some form of spotter network. Often, local fire and Police department personel are trained to observe and report severe weather. Local Emergency Management Agencies also train and deploy spotters. The existence of easy 2-way radio communication and 24-hour operations are two reasons why these group make effective spotters.
"Other groups that organize spotter networks include Amateur (HAM) Radio, Citizen's Band (CB), and the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). Again, 2-way radio communications is an important factor in using members of these groups as spotters."
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 SKYWARN™ with partner organizations. SKYWARN™ is a volunteer program with nearly 280,000 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 SKYWARN™ spotters provide essential information for all types of weather hazards, the main responsibility of a SKYWARN™ 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 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 and flash floods.
SKYWARN™ 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 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.
How Can I Get Involved?
NWS has 122 local Weather Forecast Offices, each with a Warning Coordination Meteorologist, who is responsible for administering the SKYWARN™ program in their local area. Training is conducted at these local offices and covers:
Classes are free and typically are about two hours long. To find out when a SKYWARN™ class will be conducted in local your area, contact your local Warning Coordination Meteorologist at: http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/contact.htm
Page Last Updated, 05/08/09