STORM SPOTTERS:
Weather forecasters’ flesh-and-blood emergency intervention tools
HEBER — Not even with its Satellite Doppler can the National Weather Service rely solely on technology to forecast weather so the federal agency trains volunteer weather spotters to assist in gathering crucial data to warn the community of potential dangers.
The NWS forecast office of Phoenix that encompasses Imperial and western Riverside County held training to be the field office’s “eyes and ears” to relay timely hazardous storm updates, noted NWS Phoenix meteorologist Austin Jamison. He led 22 volunteers at the Imperial County Office of Emergency Services here on Tuesday evening.
“Spotters provide ground truth, of hazardous weather conditions, critical information that only people can provide: storm damage, size of hail, tornado touchdown (precise location) and flooding that fills in the gaps in observation networks that a human watchdog can provide an eyewitness account,” said Jamison.
The free two-hour class provided a foundation to report weather conditions from home, work, school or where they are out and about.
Spotters relay data to an NWS Website, email, phone hotline or ham radio operation. No tools are required and they work on an event-driven basis. NWS wants spotters to know what they are looking at and forward that vital data.
“Funnel clouds or tornadoes are rare, but we provide background information on thunderstorm structure,” said Jamison. “So when a thunderstorm has done something significant, the information NWS provides gives our spotters context to ID hazardous weather. Thunderstorms are the most common cause of hazardous weather.”
William Reynolds is a retired school teacher and a ham radio operator whose experience dovetails well with a need for storm warnings. “Ham operators can reach out and connect with others in emergencies when all other means of communication have failed like in an earthquake,” said Reynolds. Ham radio basically covers the world.”
Inclement weather is a danger to motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians alike, fostering strong winds, slippery surfaces and poor visibility people need to be apprised of. Spotters are trained to understand thunderstorm basics and seasonal weather patterns. Data is critical for airlines, air traffic controllers, forest firefighters, land management agencies and hydrological outlooks.
Skip Waycott is a spotter class attendant who has cited the county’s volatile weather that can turn on a dime. “When we run into strong weather phenomenon that pops up quickly, if we can disseminate the information quickly, it’ a good thing,” he said. Added classmate Ty Nay, “I’m a hunting guide, so I’m responsible for the safety of my clients,” he stressed.
Dennis Ambrose, another class participant, said that extreme weather such as last week’s wind storm raised havoc. “I’m part of the radio alternative civil emergency service; we provide auxiliary communications either from home or here at the emergency operations center,” he said. “The county supplies all sorts of equipment, they’re very supportive.”
“Our mission is to work together to protect lives and property,” said Jamison. “We provide accurate and timely weather, hydrological and climate forecasts.”