Training to be held Monday, April 22, 2019 at 6:00 PM at the Graham County General Services Building Assembly Room
With the upcoming monsoon just around the corner, rain, hail and flood waters are not far behind. At the National Weather Service, we provide weather forecasts and information that allow users to protect life and property. We do this in part by providing watches, warnings, and advisories for hazards such as flash flooding, severe thunderstorms and dust storms. As part of the warning process, we often rely on “ground truth” reports from volunteer Skywarn Weather Spotters to help us better understand the true impacts of each storm. These reports, which we receive in real time via e-mail, social media or phone calls, allow us to alert the public to the most current and site specific hazards.
Skywarn Spotters are provided several opportunities each spring for a free training session lasting around 1.5 hours. You will be taught how to identify severe weather and what information you should report to the National Weather Service. Being a trained Skywarn Spotter is 100% voluntary and there is no special equipment required: just your eyes! All ages are welcome, though we ask that a parent accompany adolescents who have an interest in becoming a spotter.
There is one session scheduled this year for Graham County. It will be held on Monday April 22, 2019 at 6:00 PM at the Graham County General Services Building in the Assembly Room, 921 Thatcher Blvd., Safford, AZ 85546.
A full schedule listing all training sessions across southeast Arizona for 2019 can be found online at https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/twc/Spotter_schedule.php. While you can just show up and do not need to register for the training, those with questions may call Ken Drozd or Emily Carpenter at 520-670-6526. We look forward to seeing you there!
