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SKYWARN Program

Taxonomy Code: TH-1700.1910-800

A volunteer program established by the National Weather Service to train, certify and coordinate the activities of storm spotters, i.e., individuals who observe the visual cues associated with the development and progression of hazardous weather events and provide real-time descriptions of tornadoes, high winds, hail and significant cloud formations to the local weather service office and emergency managers in a timely manner. The program is administered through local weather forecast offices, each with a warning coordination meteorologist. Training is conducted at these local offices and focuses on the basics of thunderstorm development, the fundamentals of storm structure, identifying potential severe weather features, information to report, how to report information and basic severe weather safety. The reports of storm spotters become part of the weather warning decision making process and when combined with radar data and other information, are used by National Weather Service forecasters to decide whether to issue a new warning, cancel an existing warning, continue a warning, and/or issue a warning for the next county. Spotter reports also help local public safety officials make decisions to protect lives and property such as when to sound sirens, activate safety plans and take other necessary steps when severe weather is approaching.

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