Tag: Weather

Weather Awareness

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Copied from the ARRL Ohio Section News Letter

Ohio’s Spring Severe Weather Awareness Week

March 21 – 27, 2021

Statewide Tornado Drill Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at 9:50 a.m.
COLUMBUS – Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security (FCEM&HS) will recognize Ohio’s Spring Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 21 – 27, 2021. Residents are reminded to
prepare for severe weather before it happens. Hazardous conditions can occur anytime and anywhere without advance notice.

As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, FCEM&HS urges the community to participate in the annual Statewide Tornado Drill on Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at 9:50 a.m. At that time, the Franklin County
Outdoor Warning Sirens will be activated one time for three minutes, a longer tone than used during the regular Wednesday noon test. The test tone is the same “tornado warning” tone which would be used in an actual tornado warning.

“Severe weather season is just around the corner and I encourage everyone to take some time during Severe Weather Awareness Week to make a safety plan for family, friends, neighbors and co-workers,” said Jeffrey
J. Young, Director, Franklin County Emergency Management & Homeland Security. “Being prepared and knowing what to do during an emergency is the key to staying safe.” FCEM&HS encourages residents to be prepared for all types of severe weather by following these important safety procedures:

Know the Risk – Learn and understand the different types of weather hazards facing Franklin County. The top hazards can be found on the agency website at www.fcemhs.org. Know the Weather Terms – Know the difference between storm watches and storm warnings. For example, a tornado watch is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in and close to the area. A tornado warning is issued by the NWS when a tornado has been detected by radar or sighted by storm spotters.

Receive Notifications – Register for ALERT Franklin County at www.alertfranklincounty.org to receive severe weather alerts and important information. Residents are encouraged to have a NOAA Weather Radio and tune into TV or radio newscasts for up-to-date weather information.

Have a Plan/Build a Kit – Develop and practice an emergency plan with your family and include your pets. Know how to communicate and have a designated safe meeting place. Build an emergency supply kit. Be
sure to include enough food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least 72 hours.

Thank you,
Franklin County – CC

2021 Spotter Training Schedule

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NWS WILMINGTON OHIO
2021 VIRTUAL SPOTTER TRAINING SCHEDULEClasses are free, open to the public, and require registration via the links provided in each course description.Each class lasts about 2 hours and is led by a National Weather Service meteorologists
who will discuss techniques and safety for severe weather spotting. Once you attend a class,
you will receive instructions for filling out online registration forms to officially become
a trained spotter and can report severe weather to your NWS office.At this time, there are no in-person spotter training courses scheduled for the 2021 spring season.

Thursday, March 4th, 7:00-9:00 PM

Monday, March 8th, 6:00-8:00 PM

Tuesday, March 23rd, 6:00-8:00 PM

Saturday, March 27th, 12:00-2:00 PM

Click here for training schedule National Weather Service

Skywarn® and the Skywarn® logo are registered trademarks of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, used with permission.

NWS SKYWARN Storm Spotter Program

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In most years, thunderstorms, tornadoes and lightning cause hundreds of injuries and deaths and billions in property and crop damages.  To obtain critical weather information, the National Weather Service

(NWS) established SKYWARN® with partner organizations. SKYWARN® is a volunteer program with between 350,000 and 400,000 trained severe weather spotters. These volunteers help keep their local comm

unities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the National Weather Service.

Although SKYWARN® spotters provide essential information for all types of weather hazards, the focus is reporting on severe local thunderstorms. In an average year, the United States experiences more than 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 5,000 floods and more than 1,000 tornadoes.

Since the program started in the 1970s, the information provided by SKYWARN® spotters, coupled with Doppler radar technology, improved satellite and other data, has enabled NWS to issue more timely and accurate warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and flash floods. SKYWARN® storm spotters form the nation’s first line of defense against severe weather. There can be no finer reward than t

o know that your efforts have given your family and neighbors the precious gift of time–minutes that can help save lives.

Who is eligible and how do I get started?

NWS encourages anyone with an interest in public service to join the SKYWARN® program. Volunteers include police and fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS workers, public utility workers and other concerned private citizens. Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches and nursing homes or who have a responsibility for protecting others are encouraged to become a spotter. Ready to learn more? Find a class in your area. Training is free and typically lasts about 2 hours. You’ll learn:

  • Basics of thunderstorm development
  • Fundamentals of storm structure
  • Identifying potential severe weather features
  • Information to report
  • How to report information
  • Basic severe weather safety

Need help with your Spotter Number or other local information such as a missing class schedule? If you need help finding your spotter number or a class schedule, contact your local Warning Coordination Meteorologist.  He or she can help you get, find or replace your spotter information and let you know about upcoming classes. Classes typically are held in an office’s relatively slow season.  Classes are NOT typically offered all year.  Schedules vary from office to office.

Looking for our online program? You also can also take our free online spotter program.  Some offices also ask that you take a local class to learn about weather unique to your area.

NWS Link

Skywarn® and the Skywarn® logo are registered trademarks of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, used with permission