Skywarn Course Descriptions

SKYWARN® Spotter Classes are offered free of charge from the combined efforts of your local National Weather Service Forecast Office and typically either local government, local civic groups, or centers of higher learning. A National Weather Service meteorologist will teach the class and bring related materials. The local group will provide the facility for the class and register all participants in the class.

The classes are designed to educate the public on weather threats in this area, as well as strengthen the ties between the NWS and the local community. The more spotters the NWS has out there, the faster vital ground truth information gets to the NWS forecasters who make the decisions to issue life saving weather warnings.

Due to limited extra staffing during the peak summer leave season, classes are generally taught between September and May.

The classes that are offered:

Basics I (15-25 per year in our forecast area)

This course is a prerequisite for all other courses. Basics I is a good general overview of severe weather for the general public. Upon completion of the course, you will be registered in the program by the NWS. You will receive a spotter code from the NWS within 6 weeks. Training in Basics I includes:

The basic organization of the National Weather Service
The role and importance of the Skywarn spotter
NWS Products and the Watch/Warning/Advisory system
Thunderstorms
Thunderstorm threats:
- Lightning
- Flooding
- Hail
- Tornadoes
- Downbursts
How to report vital info to the NWS
The role of amateur short-wave (HAM) radio in the Spotter Program

Tropical (0-3 per year in our forecast area)

Training in the Tropical class is a good overview of tropical weather threats in this area. It is intended for everyone. Basics I is a prerequisite for this class. The Tropical class includes:

Types of tropical cyclones
Ingredients of meteorology necessary for Tropical cyclones
Hazards from tropical cyclones (storm surge, inland flooding, winds, tornadoes)
Hurricane climatology (where they form, typical tracks, season)
Local hurricane history
How they are observed and forecast
How to prepare and react?

Winter Storm (0-3 per year in our forecast area)

Training in the Winter Storm class is a good overview of winter weather threats in this area. It is intended for everyone. Basics I is a prerequisite for this class. The Winter Storm class includes:

Winter hazards in this region
Winter preparation and safety
Winter normals and Extremes
What makes winter storms
NWS forecasts and products
Role of Skywarn and reporting

Flood (0-3 per year in our forecast area)

Training in the Flood class is a good overview of flood threats in this area. It is intended for everyone. Basics I is a prerequisite for this class. The Flood class includes:

Role of spotters & review of area
What to report & how
Types of flooding
Forecasting and meteorology of flooding
Review of some flooding cases
NWS products for flooding

Net Control (0-5 per year in our forecast area)

The Net Control class is for HAM radio operators who are interested in becoming Desk Operators for the SKYWARN amateur radio program here at the NWS Baltimore/Washington Forecast Office (in Sterling VA). Basics I is a prerequisite for this class. Net Control includes:

Basics on the SKYWARN amateur radio program and organizational structure
The Network, subnets, and specs
Modes of operation of the SKYWARN amateur radio program
How to operate the Net Control position
Extended discussion of what the NWS is looking for in terms of reports, and how to work with spotters to get well-formed and accurate reports