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Severe weather season in the United States begins in March. When severe weather threatens, you do not have to just watch and wait. You can join many citizens who volunteer as storm spotters. Their work helps people stay safe as bad weather approaches.
Every year, the United States averages 10,000 thunderstorms, 1,300 tornadoes, and 5,000 flood events. This information comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which oversees the National Weather Service. These weather disasters cause at least 500 deaths and nearly $15 billion in damage each year. Storm spotters help reduce these impacts and keep people safe.
The National Weather Service has 122 forecast offices. During severe weather, meteorologists study radar and satellite data. They monitor conditions from airports and other stations. They update forecasts and issue vital weather watches and warnings. They work hard, but they cannot always see what storms are actually doing on the ground. This makes trained storm spotters a vital part of severe weather forecasting. Every extra pair of eyes on the sky helps.
A storm spotter is a trained volunteer. They relay reports to the National Weather Service during severe weather events. Usually, these events are severe thunderstorms. The SKYWARN program, run by the National Weather Service, began in the 1970s. It now includes up to 400,000 spotters across the United States.
Anyone can be a storm spotter. Many are also first responders, such as firefighters and police officers. Emergency managers, dispatchers, and utility workers also make up the trained spotters. While many spotters already work outside in bad weather, regular citizens are also invited to join. If you want to serve your community, you can become a trained storm spotter.
To become a storm spotter, you must receive training from your local National Weather Service office. The training is free and usually lasts about two hours. Meteorologists will cover many topics. These include the basics of how thunderstorms develop. You will also learn how to identify severe weather features in storms. Once you know what to look for, you learn what information to report. You learn how to report it and, most importantly, how to stay safe.
Severe weather is different depending on where you live. That is why local training is important. If you are interested in joining SKYWARN, you can find classes in your community. Contact your local National Weather Service office for more information.
It is important to note that many NWS offices are short-staffed. This is due to recent layoffs. Because of this, some community programs might be canceled or postponed. Be sure to contact your local office with any questions. An online training option is also available. But you should still reach out to your local office. They can tell you if they have any additional training or requirements.
The National Weather Service issues about 50,000 weather warnings each year. They use technology like weather satellites and a network of 160 Doppler radars. These radars show where precipitation is falling and storms are forming. They can also analyze the winds inside a storm. The radar can show where damaging wind gusts are happening. It can show rotation that could produce a tornado.
Additionally, modern weather radars are dual polarization, or dual-pol. Dual-pol radars allow meteorologists to see more than just wind. They can see the shape of precipitation. This helps them tell the difference between rain, snow, and hail. It can also identify non-precipitation objects. These include birds, bugs, smoke, and, notably, tornado debris.
The answer is simple: ground truth is vital.
Radar can observe tornado debris, but having a spotter confirm a tornado on the ground is priceless. It helps the National Weather Service know exactly where the tornado is. It helps them know where it is going. The NWS uses this information to update tornado warnings. They can include more communities in the warning. Reports from the ground also help extend a warning or end it. If spotters see a tornado dissipate, the warning can expire.
The following image is an example of a tornado warning from 2013. It was issued by the National Weather Service in Duluth, Minnesota. In the highlighted areas, you can see the "source" of the warning. It came from a spotter who confirmed the tornado was on the ground. The NWS took this information and updated the warning. They added more details about hazards and impacts for people in danger.
Spotters are also important for severe thunderstorms that do not produce tornadoes. These storms can still produce damaging wind gusts and large hail. A spotter can see the actual size of hailstones falling from a storm. They can see damage from strong winds or visual features on the storm itself. For example, a spotter might see a rotating wall cloud. This is a lowering from a thunderstorm where a tornado can develop. A report of a rotating wall cloud tells meteorologists the storm needs extra monitoring.
Spotters are also critical for reporting flooding. Flash flooding on roads or rising water from creeks during heavy rain are life-threatening situations. This information is vital for updating warnings and alerting the public. The goal is to protect people and their property. Storm spotters help fill in the gaps. They provide vital ground truth. This makes them important partners with the National Weather Service during severe weather season.
During severe weather season, stay informed. Keep up with local forecasts from the National Weather Service. Get severe weather outlooks from the Storm Prediction Center.
In summary, storm spotters are an important piece of the severe weather puzzle. They keep National Weather Service meteorologists informed. This allows the meteorologists to keep the public safe and informed. Members of the general public can become trained spotters. They just need to take a course with their local weather service office.