Report Severe Weather

Severe Weather Reports Page
Skywarn™ Spotters and General Public

Intersted in becoming a Skywarn Observer?

Visit our Skywarn™ page for more information on the Skywarn™ Program.

Check it out!! Our Skywarn™ Meeting page provides a list of Skywarn™ training classes.

Skywarn™ Meeting Schedule

Skywarn™ Spotters are an important asset to the NWS. We ask our Spotters to provide us reports of many different kinds of severe weather.

If you are a Skywarn™ Spotter the best way to contact us is by using the "800" number provided on your Skywarn™ card.

Skywarn™ Spotters and the public can also provide us reports in other ways.

Phone Recording System

412-262-1988

On-Line Spotter Reports

Official Skywarn™ Spotters
PBZ-Skywarn@noaa.gov

Non-Official Skywarn™ Spotters or Public Reports
PBZ-Public@noaa.gov

Storm reports can also be submitted through the use of social media. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Storm Reports via Facebook	Storm Reports via Twitter

ESpotter and the automated phone system enable Severe Weather Reporting for Skywarn™ Spotters, and the general public. Your severe weather reports reach forecasters in real time and, after quality control, may be included in a Local Storm Report(LSR) product. Information included in Local Storm Reports is also plotted on a map.

Use this map to see the latest storm reports.

(click image for more detail)

Weather Event Display

If you experience any of the following,

Please Report It!

Thunderstorm Criteria:

Tornadoes or funnel clouds (be very wary of look-alikes; watch for rotation)
- Rotating appendage from a cumulonimbus cloud not touching the ground
Wall clouds, especially if they are rotating

Hail (Be specific with regard to size)
- Report any size and specify diameter.
- Quarter (1") and larger is severe!
- Hail Sizes Chart
Wind Gusts
- 40 mph or greater; specify whether estimated or recorded
- large branches downed (specify diameter of branch)
- Trees/power lines downed
- Structural damage to buildings (roof, windows, etc.)
Rainfall
- 1 inch or greater in an hour and every inch thereafter
- 2 inches or greater storm total
Flooding
- Report any flooding
- Basement, road
- Streams/Rivers -- also, when nearing bankfull
- Street (depth of water)

Snowfall
- When (new) snow accumulation reaches 2 inches
- Then at 4 inches, 6 inches, and every 3 inches thereafter (eg. 2,4,6,9,12,etc)
- Give a final report/total at the end of the storm
- Thunder Snow - time and location
Ice
- Any occurrance, or accumulation, of freezing rain
- Accumulation of 1/4" or more
Flooding
- Report any flooding
- Ice jams/snow melt
General Winter Reports
- When forecast differs significantly from observed (i.e. snowing with no snow in forecast, sleet...when only snow is forecast...)
- Any other significant weather occurrence(i.e. damage from strong winds not associated with a thunderstorm)