Weather Spotter Training Looks to Aid Local Area

 
 

Local weather enthusiasts have the chance to receive a bit of specialized training that may help keep their communities safe.

The Starke County Emergency Management Agency will be hosting Skywarn Spotter Training on Wednesday, March 2 at the Knox Fire Department on Heaton Street.

Skywarn is a program sponsored by the National Weather Service. It uses volunteers to help spot local weather patterns and report them to the NWS. There are more than 290-thousand volunteers nationwide participating in the program.

Officials with Skywarn say the main focus for the volunteers is reporting severe weather. The U.S. experiences more than 10-thousand severe storms, 5-thousand floods, and 1-thousand tornadoes each year.

Those with access to communication such as a HAM radio are encouraged to participate. The training typically lasts about two hours and covers weather basics such as storm structure, severe weather features, and the important information to report.

The spotter training in Knox will begin at 2 p.m.