Are you a wannabe storm spotter? Join SKYWARN to help save lives
If you are a wannabe meteorologist and a person who can remain calm under pressure, and speak clearly and not exaggerate, you may qualify to become a volunteer storm spotter to identify and report weather hazards.
A virtual class is scheduled for 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., on March 27. It will be conducted on the GoToMeeting platform. Once your registration is accepted, instructors will email you the meeting link and other necessary information.
SKYWARN is a nationwide program developed by the National Weather Service, under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which trains and relies on local volunteers to report potentially dangerous weather-related issues, such as extreme winter weather, severe lightning, funnel clouds, wall clouds, flash flooding and tornadoes, etc. There are between 350,000 and 400,000 trained severeweather spotters who help keep their local communities informed and safe every year.
The virtual class will be presented by the Broward Emergency Operations Center and will cover the following:
Basics of thunderstorm development
Fundamentals of storm structure
Identifying potential severe weather features Information to report How to report information
Basic severe weather safety
You will also learn how to collect weather data and report marine and environmental hazards, like high surf or dense fog. Once a weather hazard has been confirmed, the National Weather Service then sends alerts and advisories via television, radio, marine and weather radios, public safety agencies and other information sources, including ham radio operators, to alert the public that severe weather is approaching or has been sighted.
To register, email your full name, address, email address and phone number to either of the instructors: Robert Molleda at Robert. Molleda@noaa.gov or Carol Sjursen at csjursen@bellsouth.net. Visit bit.ly/2M5KBQN for more details.
SKYWARN literature states: “There can be no finer reward than to know that your efforts have given your family and neighbors the precious gift of time — minutes that can help save lives.”