National Weather Service Skywarn Program based in State College Weather Forecast Office
ABOUT
The SkyWarn™ Spotter program is a voluntary program in which the public can participate in storm reporting and interact with your local NWS Office. Spotters are encouraged to relay critical weather information to their local NWS Office, in support of the Warning and Forecast Operations. The information spotters provide immensely helps the NWS Forecasters make better/more informed forecasts and helps them to warn others of impending dangers or hazards.
HOW TO BECOME A SPOTTER
SkyWarn™ Spotters are asked to receive weather spotter training and safety information during informational sessions, normally conducted by the local NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM), and Forecasters. These training sessions are usually conducted in the Spring and Summer months, in anticipation of the climatological Severe Weather Season.
Missed an in-person training session? Check out the recorded basic and advanced training from the Spring and Summer of 2020. Let us know if you have watched these videos and would like to become a spotter!
You can also view these national online training modules. These modules provide baseline training for all spotters by covering the procedures for spotting (including communication and spotter report criteria) and safety considerations for all weather hazards. Within a few weeks of your completion of these national online modules, we will contact you with information regarding becoming a spotter for NWS State College. Completing the national online training modules typically takes about 2 hours of time.
Many of our SkyWarn™ spotters are also Amateur Radio operators. These spotters use amateur radio frequencies to relay important and time sensitive information to the NWS. See a map of frequencies listened to by the NWS.
For additional information, please visit SkyWarn (weather.gov) or https://epa-arrl.org/central-pennsylvania-skywarn-group/.