What is SKYWARN?

SKYWARN is a concept developed 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. SKYWARN members consist of private citizens, amateur radio operators, firefighters, law enforcement officials, and other government officials. SKYWARN volunteers support their local community and government by providing the National Weather Service with timely and accurate severe weather reports. The organization of spotters and the distribution of warning information may lies with the National Weather Service. These reports, when integrated with modern National Weather Service technology, are used to issue timely and accurate warnings of impending dangerous and life threatening weather conditions.

I have been a member of our local SKYWARN Net for a few years. After attending an all day training by National Weather Service Meteorologists, I gained skills necessary to respond to weather emergencies as a trained weather spotter. If you wish to know more about SKYWARN and National Weather Service please go to:

http://www.skywarn.org/

You can also visit the NOAA web site at:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/skywarn/

I hope this web site has offered something of a broad view of what is possible in the world of Amateur Radio.  Men and women and young people comprise the service and together we serve the public through activities like SKYWARN and ARES.  Together and individually we are innovators using creativity and ingenuity.  This service called Amateur Radio also has the power, like no other avocation, to unite the world.  If you are ready to join us, we welcome you -- until we next QSO, this is KA1GYB bidding you 73.