The SC Midlands needs severe weather spotters and you can be one, the NWS says. Here’s how
If you are a severe weather junkie with a little extra time on your hands, then the National Weather Service has your fix.
The NWS in Columbia recently posted a request for volunteer SKYWARN spotters for the Midlands.
Once trained, new spotters will know how to identify different types of hazardous weather and how to safely observe them. They’ll also know the types of severe weather to report and how to send those reports to the NWS. No prior knowledge of weather will be needed to attend the training.
Two online training classes will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday and from 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 15. To register for either class, click here.
According to the NWS, thunderstorms, tornadoes and lightning cause hundreds of injuries, deaths and billions of dollars in property and crop damages in most years, prompting the need for the SKYWARN program. Started in the 1970s, the program consists of between 350,000 and 400,000 trained severe weather spotters who voluntarily help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports to the NWS.
The spotters, coupled with Doppler radar technology, improved satellite and other data, has enabled the NWS to issue more timely and accurate warnings for tornadoes, severe weather storms and flash floods, the NWS states.
This story was originally published November 2, 2022 at 8:00 AM.
